Peculiarity of component interaction in Zr–Mn–{Sn, Sb} ternary systems

• Zr–Mn–Sn phase diagram was constructed at 773 K.
• One ternary compound ZrMn6Sn6 is formed.
• Two ternary compounds Zr5Mn0.5Sb2.5 and Zr5MnSb3 exist in Zr–Mn–Sb system at 873 K.
• The ZrMn6Sn6 and Zr5Mn0.5Sb2.5 compounds are characterized by metallic type of conductivity.

The isothermal sections of the phase diagrams of the Zr–Mn–Sn and Zr–Mn–Sb ternary systems have been constructed in the whole concentration range using X-ray and metallographic analyses at 773 K and 873 K, respectively. Component interaction in the Zr–Mn–Sn system at 773 K results the existence of one ternary compounds, ZrMn6Sn6 (MgFe6Ge6-type). The Zr–Mn–Sb system at 873 K is characterized by formation of Zr5Mn0.5Sb2.5 compound with W5Si3-type and Zr5MnSb3 with Hf5CuSn3-type. The Zr5MnSb3 compound with Hf5CuSn3 structure type represents the limited composition of the solid solution based on Zr5Sb4 binary. The band structure calculations of ZrMn6Sn6 and Zr5Mn0.5Sb2.5 compounds using the FP-LAPW method confirmed the metallic type of conductivity of both compounds.