Abstract
Mg-Y-Zn alloys have attracted much attention in recent years due to their excellent mechanical properties, which are said to be the effect of the intermediate phase (X phase) in the Mg solid solution (α phase). The formation behavior of the X phase has been reported to be a eutectic type reaction in the Mg-Y-Zn pseudo-binary system. However, the phase diagram of this system still requires clarification. In the present study, the 97.0Mg-1.3Zn-1.7Y (at%) alloy was prepared to clarify the liquidus and solidus in the liquid-solid coexistence region, and the solubility limit in the α phase. The chemical compositions of the alloy were analyzed by electron probe X-ray microanalysis after isothermal heat treatment. The results indicate that the Mg-Y-Zn ternary system can be represented as a pseudo-binary system between the α and X phases. In addition, the solidus line for the α phase has been clarified. The solubility limit for the α phase is not much different from that of the previous report, whereas the formation behavior of the X phase is not in the manner of a eutectic reaction, but rather that of a peritectic one.
