Phase Equilibria in the Cu-Sn-Sb Ternary System

The phase equilibria in the Cu-Sn-Sb ternary system were investigated by means of electron-probe microanalysis and x-ray diffraction. Firstly, ternary solubilities of -Cu6Sn5, -Cu41Sn11, Cu11Sb3, epsilon-Cu3Sb and -Cu2Sb, were less than 7 at.% Sb or Sn at 400 degrees C. Besides, an re-stabilized ternary solubility, Cu-6(Sn,Sb)(5), was detected with a homogeneity range of Cu: 52.9-53.3 at.%, Sn: 28.4-30.9 at.%, and Sb: 15.8-18.7 at.%. Its origin was traced back to high-temperature stabilization of the binary -Cu6Sn5 phase. Thirdly, the metastable phase, Cu11Sb3, was observed at 400 degrees C in the Cu-Sn-Sb ternary system; On raising the temperature to 500 degrees C, the epsilon-Cu3Sn phase still retained a large solubility for Sb, at similar to 16 at.%, while the epsilon-Cu3Sb was replaced by -Cu3Sb with a dual-cornered large homogeneity range. Similarly, a ternary homogeneity range of Cu: 83.8-84.9 at.%, Sn: 2.6-6.2 at.%, and Sb: 9-12.5 at.%, was found and deduced to be the high temperature stabilization phase of -Cu-11(Sb,Sn)(2) at 500 degrees C.