Thermodynamic reassessment of the Ni–In system using ab-initio data for end-member compound energies

Abstract The main goal of the present reassessment is to update the thermodynamic description of the Ni–In (Nickel–Indium) binary system using experimental and ab-initio data from the literature, following the Compound Energy Formalism (CEF) within the scope of the CALPHAD method. All end-member energies were taken from ab-initio calculations, with adjustments in some cases in order to better fit experimental evidence. The new assessment fixes problems with the description of the liquid phase, avoiding the restabilization of the ζ -phase and pushing the restabilization of the δ -phase to higher temperatures. We follow the last optimization of the system and discuss the choice to model the ζ ′ - Ni 13 In 9 phase as a line compound, based on a recent experimental investigation. The new thermodynamic description compares well with experimental data and is suitable to a lead-free solder multicomponent database.