Experimental measurements and thermodynamic modeling of the Ce–Co–Fe ternary system

Abstract The experimental determinations of the isothermal section at 823 K and the supplementary measurements of the liquidus projection of the Ce-Co-Fe ternary system were presented in the present study. In the Ce-Co-Fe ternary system, in consideration of the temperature dependent solubilities of the linear phases such as Ce2(Co,Fe)17 and Ce(Co,Fe)2, as well as the specific locations of the univariant lines between each two primary solidification surfaces, it is necessary to study more than one isothermal section and some particular as-cast alloys to construct the phase equilibria in the temperature-composition space of the Ce-Co-Fe system. The samples for determining the liquidus projection were prepared by arc-melting method under high purity argon atmosphere in a water-cooled copper hearth, and then those for measuring the isothermal section at 823 K were isothermally treated and quenched in ice water. The microstructures and the phase compositions of samples were measured by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA). Some primary solidification regions and univariant lines of the Ce-Co-Fe ternary system were complementally determined, and the reasonability of the liquidus projection reported in previous literature was further confirmed. The phase equilibrium relations at 823 K were determined, including two-phase and three-phase equilibria. No ternary compounds were discovered in the present study. Based on the experimental results of both the previous literature reports (the reported liquidus projection and isothermal sections at 723 and 1173 K) and the present experimental study, the Ce-Co-Fe ternary system was thermodynamically assessed using the CALPHAD method. The isothermal sections, the vertical sections and the liquidus projection were calculated using the present optimized thermodynamic parameters, and a reasonable agreement between the calculated results and the experimental data was obtained.