Experimental investigation of the 600 and 800 °C sections of the Fe-Mn-Sb system

In this work, 600 and 800 °C isothermal sections of the Fe-Mn-Sb ternary system were determined experimentally by means of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectrometry and X-ray diffraction. A continuous solid solution phase (Mn, Fe)Sb was clearly identified at both 600 and 800 °C. Its lattice parameter c increases with the Mn content, but the lattice parameter a changes slightly when the Sb content is constant. No ternary compounds were found in this system. The solubility of Fe in Mn2Sb is 26.6 and 28.8 at.% at 600 and 800 °C, respectively. The solubility of Mn in FeSb2 is 11.7 at.% at 600 °C.