Experimental Study on Phase Diagram in the Vicinity of X or W Phase in the Mg-Zn-Y Ternary System

To elucidate the phase equilibria in the vicinity of the X or W phase in the Mg-Zn-Y ternary system, five Mg-Zn-Y ternary alloys containing the X or W phase were prepared and isothermally heat-treated to reach thermodynamic equilibrium. The microstructure and chemical compositions of the equilibrium phases of the alloys were analyzed. Furthermore, the crystal structure of the W phase was investigated, and the liquidus temperatures of the alloys were examined using differential thermal analysis. The results showed that the X phase can be crystallized not by a eutectic reaction, as reported previously, but by a peritectic reaction. They also showed that the W phase has the Heusler-type crystal structure with a stoichiometric composition of Mg1Zn2Y1, and that Mg and Zn in the W phase can be substituted for each other. The Mg-Zn-Y ternary phase diagram was calculated using an assessed CALPHAD thermodynamic database based on the experimental results of the present study, and compared with a recently reported phase diagram.