Thermodynamic investigation of the Ag-Bi-Sn ternary system

The activities of Sn of liquid Ag-Bi-Sn alloys for three cross-sections with the constant molar ratios of Ag:Bi = 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2 are measured at 627 and 727 ∘C by an electromotive force (emf) method with a liquid electrolyte. The previous thermodynamic descriptions of the Ag-Bi-Sn ternary system are modified by considering the literature data and our own experimental results. The thermodynamic interaction parameters of the Bi-Sn binary and the Ag-Bi-Sn ternary liquid phase are optimized using the emf and calorimetric data from the present work. Based on the self-consistent optimized thermodynamic parameters the phase diagram and thermodynamic properties of the Ag-Bi-Sn ternary system are calculated and compared with the experimental data. The agreement between the calculated results and the experimental data has been significantly improved.