Abstract
In this paper, the comparative review of experimental and thermodynamic assessments of the ternary Ag-Ge-Sb system is presented. An isothermal section of the Ag-Ge-Sb system at 300 °C has been extrapolated using optimized thermodynamic parameters for the constitutive binary systems. An experimental analysis of the microstructure was carried out using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). Results obtained by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) methods (phases and lattice parameters) were compared with the results of the predicted phase equilibria. The hardness of selected alloys from the isothermal section at 300 °C was determined using Vickers microhardness test and Brinell hardness test. The electrical conductivity of alloys from the isothermal section at 300 °C in the ternary Ag-Ge-Sb system was determined experimentally. Good overall agreement between experimental and calculated values was obtained.

Key words
crystal structure, electrical properties, microstructure, hardness test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), annealing

Full text (997 KB)