Phase Equilibria in the Ti-Zr-Ni System Part 2: Isothermal Sections and Solid-State Transformations in the ZrNi–Ni–TiNi Subsystem
摘要
Phase equilibria and solid-state transformations in the Ni-rich region of the Ti–Zr–Ni system were investigated through a combined application of scanning electron microscopy, electron probe microanalysis, x ray diffraction, and differential thermal analysis. Comprehensive analysis enabled the construction of isothermal sections at 960 °C and 750 °C, revealing substantial differences in phase topology across this temperature interval. At 960 °C, the ternary system exhibits equilibria that differ markedly from the Zr–Ni binary: the intermetallic compounds ZrNi3 and Zr9Ni11 remain stable due to the stabilizing effect of Ti, forming isolated phase fields that are not present in the binary diagram. The formation temperature of ZrNi3 was established as 1000 °C, while Zr9Ni11 decomposes below 750 °C. At 750 °C, the phase relations significantly differ from those at 960 °C as a result of a sequence of solid-state reactions. The most noteworthy of these is the decomposition of the ternary compound τ2, producing Zr8Ni21, Zr7Ni10, and TiNi3, and fundamentally altering the topology of the isothermal section. Intermediate annealing at 900 °C provided insight into the transitional behavior between the two isothermal sections, revealing incomplete transformations and confirming the peritectoid formation of ZrNi3 from Zr2Ni7, τ3, and Zr8Ni21. The resulting reaction scheme for the ZrNi–Ni–TiNi subsystem integrates high-temperature stability, intermediate transformations, and low-temperature decomposition pathways. These findings establish a coherent thermochemical framework for the Ni-rich portion of the Ti–Zr–Ni system and provide essential reference data for thermodynamic modeling and the design of Ti–Zr–Ni intermetallic alloys.