The zinc-rich corner of the Zn-Fe-Ni-Si quaternary system at 450 °C

Following up on recent studies of the Zn-rich corners of the Zn-Fe-Ni and Zn-Fe-Si ternary systems, a 450 °C isothermal section of the Zn-Fe-Ni-Si quaternary phase diagram with the Zn composition being fixed at 93 at.% was determined experimentally using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and x-ray diffractometry (XRD). FeSi was found to be in equilibrium with almost all phases in the section, including the T, ζ, Ni-δ, NiSi₂, and FeSi₂ phases, as well as the liquid phase (L). Silicon solubilities in the T, ζ, and Ni-δ phases were rather limited. However, the solubilities of Fe and Zn in the NiSi₂ phase, at 4.5 at.% and 7.2 at.%, respectively, were appreciable. The existence of the (L+NiSi₂+Ni-δ) three-phase equilibrium state apparently prevents other Ni-Si compounds from entering equilibrium with the liquid at 450 °C. No true quaternary compound was found in the study.