Phase equilibria at sub-solidus conditions in the Fe-Mg-Zn-O system in air

The phase equilibria in the Fe-Mg-Zn-O system in the temperature range 1100-1550degreesC in air have been experimentally studied using equilibration and quenching followed by electron probe X-ray microanalysis. The compositions of condensed phases in equilibrium in the binary MgO-ZnO system and the ternary Fe-Mg-O system have been reported at sub-solidus in air. Pseudo-ternary sections of the quaternary Fe-Mg-Zn-O system at 1100, 1250 and 1400degreesC in air were constructed using the experimental data. The solid solution of iron oxide, MgO and ZnO in the periclase (Mg, Zn, Fe)O, spinel (Mg(2+), Fe(2+), Zn(2+))(x)Fe((2+y))(3+)O(4) and zincite (Zn, Mg, Fe)O phases were found to be extensive under the conditions investigated. A continuous spinel solid solution is formed between the magnesioferrite (Mg(2+), Fe(2+))(x)Fe((2+y))(3+)O(4) and franklinite (Zn(2+), Fe(2+))(x)Fe((2+y))(3+)O(4) end-members at 1100 and 1250degreesC, extending to magnetite (Fe(2+))(x)Fe((2+y))(3+)O(4) at 1400degreesC in air. The compositions along the spinel boundaries were found to be non-stoichiometric, the magnitude of the non-stoichiometry being a function of composition and temperature in air. It was found that hematite dissolves neither MgO nor ZnO in air.