Abstract
Physico-chemical analysis techniques. including X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, were employed to construct the isothermal section of the Er-Fe-Al system at 800 degrees C. At this temperature, the phase diagram is characterized by the formation of five intermediate phases, ErFe12-xAlx with 5 <= x <= 8 (ThMn12-type), ErFel(1+x)Al(1-x) with -0.2 <= x <= 0.75 (MgZn2-type), ErFe3-xAlx with 0.5 < x <= 1 (DyFe2Al-type), Er2Fe17-xAlx with 4.74 <= x <= 5.7 (TbCu7-type) and Er2Fe17-xAlx with 5.7<x <= 9.5 (Th2Zn17-type), seven extensions of binaries into the ternary system; ErFexAl3-x with x<0.5 (Au3Cu-type), ErFexAl2-x with x <= 0.68 (MgCu2-type), Er2FexAl1-x with x <= 0.25 (Co2Si-type), ErFe2-xAlx with x <= 0.5 (MgCu2-type), ErFe3-xAlx with x <= 0.5 (Be3Nb-type), Er6Fe23-xAlx with x <= 8 (Th6Mn23-type), and Er2Fe17-xAlx with x <= 4.75 (Th2Ni17-type) and one intermetallic compound; the ErFe2Al10 (YbFe2Al10-type). (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.