Abstract
Equilibrated Sn–Zn–Ti alloys and (Sn + Zn)/α-Ti diffusion couples have been studied by scanning electron microscopy, metallography, and differential scanning calorimetry. For the first time an isothermal section, at 600 °C, of the ternary Sn–Zn–Ti system has been constructed. A previously unknown ternary phase with approximate formula Ti3Sn2Zn6 (probable homogeneity interval in the range Ti5Sn4Zn11 to Ti5Sn3Zn12) has been found. The solubility ranges of the titanium based solid solutions and the intermetallic phases have been looked for. As far as we could detect and in agreement with theoretical considerations, zinc dissolves more in Ti–Sn phases than tin into Ti–Zn compounds. Titanium additions of 3 and 4 at.% Ti do not influence significantly the Sn–Zn eutectic temperature. The experimentally determined melting enthalpies of the nearly eutectic alloys have values around 100 J g−1