The 480 °C and 405 °C isothermal sections of the phase diagram of Fe-Zn-Si ternary system

The 480 °C and 405 °C isothermal sections of the Fe-Zn-Si ternary phase diagram have been determined experimentally using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffractometry. The research of the work has concentrated on the Zn-rich corner, which is relevant to general galvanizing. The present studies have confirmed the existence of equilibrium state between the liquid, the ζ phase and the FeSi phase at the 480 °C isothermal section. There exist some changes in the phase relationships compared with the isothermal section at 450 °C. Experimental results indicate that Si solubility in all four Zn-Fe compounds is also limited at 480 °C and 405 °C.