Experimental investigation of phase equilibria in the Co–Fe–La system at 600 and 500 °C

Abstract Phase equilibria in the Co–Fe–La ternary system have been studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Isothermal sections at 600 (in the whole concentration region) and 500 °C (in the La-rich region) for this system have been constructed. It was shown that the ternary compound La2(Co,Fe)17 (τ) (Th2Zn17-type structure) is stable at 600 °C and has homogeneity range from 67 to 72 at.% Co. It co-exists with the majority of solid phases (αFe,Co), LaCo13, LaCo5, La2Co7 and La2Co3 at 600 °C. The LaCo13 phase has the widest homogeneity region and dissolves up to 32.5 at.% Fe at 600 °C. The character of phase equilibria at 500 °C in the studied region is similar to those at solidus temperature. The character of phase equilibria at 600 °C is different from those at the solidus temperature. The main difference involves the fact that the equilibrium τ + LaCo5 which is present in the Co–Fe–La system at solidus temperature, is absent at 600 °C. Instead, the alternative equilibrium (αFe,Co) + La2Co7 is present at 600 °C.