Experimental investigation and thermodynamic calculation of the phase equilibria in the Al-Bi-Sn ternary system

This work first deals with the experimental investigation and thermodynamic calculation in the Al-Bi-Sn ternary system. The phase equilibria at 400 and 500°C in the Al-Bi-Sn ternary system have been experimentally determined by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) on the equilibrated alloys. Based on the experimental data determined in the present work, the phase equilibria in the Al-Bi-Sn ternary system have been thermodynamically assessed by using the CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) method, and a consistent set of thermodynamic parameters leading to reasonable agreement between the calculated results and experimental data was obtained. The additions of Sn can effectively reduce the stable liquid miscibility gap in the Al-Bi binary system and gradually decrease its critical temperature. And the additions of Bi can significantly stabilize the metastable liquid miscibility gap in the Al-Sn binary system. This is shown by an initial decrease in critical temperature with increasing Bi additions.