Experimental investigation and thermodynamic calculations of the Bi–In–Ni phase diagram

Highlights: • Calculated constitutive binary system based on literature data. • Experimentally determined (DTA) temperatures of phase transformations compared with analytical calculation. • Definition of several vertical sections. • Calculated horizontal section, confirmed by experimental SEM–EDS and XRD method. • Calculated liquidus surface projection and determined invariant reaction occurred in ternary Bi–In–Ni system. - Abstract: Phase diagram of the Bi–In–Ni ternary system was investigated using differential thermal analysis (DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis. Experimentally obtained results were compared with the results of thermodynamic calculation of phase equilibria based on calculation of phase diagram (CALPHAD) method and literature data. Phase transition temperatures of alloys with overall compositions along three selected vertical sections In–Bi_0.8Ni_0.2, x(Bi) = 0.6 and Bi–In_0.5Ni_0.5 were measured by DTA. Liquidus temperatures were experimentally determined and compared with the results of thermodynamic calculation. Identification of coexisting phases in samples equilibrated at 100 °C, 300 °C and 350 °C was carried out using SEM–EDS and XRD methods. The obtained results were compared with the calculated isothermal sections of the Bi–In–Ni ternary system at corresponding temperatures. Calculated liquidus projection and invariant equilibria of the Bi–In–Ni ternary system were presented