Binary origin of the Al–Cr–Si τ3-phase

•The Al3Cr phase dissolves up to at least 10 at.% Si.•The τ3-(Al,Si)11Cr4 phase is a ternary extension of the ν-Al3Cr phase.•The existence temperature of ν increases with increasing Si concentration.

The Al3Cr phase (ν) of the Al11Mn4-type structure dissolves up to at least 10 at.% Si and its ternary extension in the Al–Cr–Si alloy system includes the compositional region reported to belong to the ternary τ3-phase exhibiting the same structure.