Recently, [2008Li] determined an isothermal section at 450 °C for this ternary system, which depicts no ternary phases.

Binary Systems

The Bi-Fe phase diagram [Massalski2] shows very little solubility between Bi and Fe in the liquid and solid states. In the Bi-Zn phase diagram [Massalski2], there are no intermediate phases. A liquid miscibility gap closes at 576 °C, with a monotectic reaction at 416 °C. In the Fe-Zn system [2003Rag], the intermediate phases are: Γ (Fe3Zn10; Cu5Zn8-type cubic), Γ1 (Fe11Zn40; cubic, space group F \({\bar{4}}\)3m), δ (FeZn10; FeZn10-type hexagonal), and ζ (CoZn13-type monoclinic).

Ternary Isothermal Section

With starting metals of 99.99% purity, [2008Li] melted about 20 ternary alloy samples in evacuated quartz tubes. The alloys were given a final anneal at 450 °C for 30 d and quenched in water. The phase equilibria were studied with scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive x-ray analysis, and x-ray powder diffraction. The isothermal section constructed by [2008Li] is redrawn in Fig. 1 to agree with accepted binary data. There are no ternary phases in the system. All Fe-Zn compounds and (αFe) form tie-lines with the Bi-rich liquid L1. The composition range of L1in two-phase equilibrium with (αFe) is 0-8.2 at.% Zn. The range of L1 in two-phase equilibrium with ζ is 22.9-43.5 at.% Zn.

Fig. 1
figure 1

Bi-Fe-Zn isothermal section at 450 °C [2008Li]

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