2003 Volume 44 Issue 12 Pages 2654-2658
Arsenic and antimony activities in the Fe-Ni-As and Fe-Ni-Sb ternary systems were measured at 1423 K by an isothermal isopiestic method to obtain fundamental information about the behaviour of arsenic and antimony in processing intermediate products, nickel arsenide or antimonide ores. Phase relations between the solid solution and liquid phase in a region of dilute arsenic or antimony in these systems were also determined at 1423 K with a quenching technique. The isoactivity lines of arsenic in the homogeneous liquid phase were almost parallel to the Ni-Fe axis of Fe-Ni-As ternary composition diagram, while those of antimony represented a negative gradient due to stronger chemical affinity of antimony to nickel as compared to iron. The iron and nickel activities in these ternary systems were derived from the measured arsenic or antimony activity and the determined phase relations. The Redlich-Kister-Muggianu polynomial formula was successfully applied to express the activities as a function of alloy compositions. Based on the obtained data, the total pressures of arsenic and antimony gas species were evaluated to discuss the possibility to recover or eliminate arsenic and antimony from the alloys by means of volatilization.
