Experimental investigations of the Ag-Cu-Ge system

Microstructural, XRD and DTA analysis of samples covering a range of compositions was carried out on cast and annealed samples in order to investigate phase equilibria in the Ag-Cu-Ge system. The results of the research work suggest the presence of a eutectic reaction L ↔ (Ag) + ε + hcp instead of a quasi-peritectic reaction described by Dutkiewicz and Massalski. A larger extension of the (Ag) primary solidification region toward the Cu-Ge side of the phase diagram with Ge contents lower than 20 at.% and the extension of the ε phase primary solidification field toward (Ag) were observed in the present work. An EPMA analysis showed that there is limited solubility of Ag in the intermetallic phases of the Cu-Ge system.