Interaction of the Components in the {Ce, Gd}-{Ti, Zr}-Sb Systems

Abstract

The phase equilibria in the ternary systems {Ce, Gd}–{Ti, Zr}–Sb were investigated by means of X-ray powder diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The isothermal sections of the phase diagrams at 600°C were constructed. The formation of three ternary compounds (Ce2Ti7Sb12, Ce3TiSb5, and Gd2Ti11Sb14) was confirmed in the {Ce, Gd}–Ti–Sb systems and no more ternaries were found. The investigation of the {Ce, Gd}–Zr–Sb systems revealed several new ternary compounds and confirmed the known ones. The crystal structure of the new compound Ce0.08(3)Zr1.92(3)Sb was determined from X-ray powder diffraction data. The other new compounds in the Ce–Zr–Sb system were found to have compositions close to ~CeZrSb4and ~Ce2Zr3Sb5. In the Gd–Zr–Sb system the existence of a large homogeneity range was established for the GdZrSb compound along the isoconcentrate 33.3 at.% Sb: Gd1-xZr1+xSb (x= 00.905(18) at 600°C), and a new compound, ~Gd3Zr3Sb14, was discovered. The crystal structures at the boundary compositions of the Gd1-xZr1+xSb phase were refined from X-ray powder diffraction data.