Section II: Phase Diagram Evaluations
DOI: 10.1007/s11669-010-9803-8
Al-Mg-Si-Zn (Aluminum-Magnesium-Silicon-Zinc)
V. Raghavan
Recently, [2010Li] reported a thermodynamic analysis
of this quaternary system, supported by a limited number of
new experimental results.
Binary and Ternary Subsystems
There are no intermediate phases in the Al-Si, Al-Zn
and Si-Zn binary systems. The Al-Mg phase diagram has
the following intermediate compounds: Mg2Al3 (denoted
b; cubic), e (rhombohedral) and Mg17Al12 (denoted c;
a-Mn type cubic). The Mg-Si phase diagram depicts a
stoichiometric compound Mg2Si (C1, CaF2-type cubic).
There are a number of intermediate phases in the Mg-Zn
system: Mg7Zn3 (D7b, Ta3B4-type orthorhombic, stable
between 342 and 325 °C), MgZn, Mg2Zn3 (monoclinic),
MgZn2 (C14-type hexagonal), and Mg2Zn11 (D8c-type
cubic).
No ternary compounds have been reported in the
Al-Mg-Si, Al-Si-Zn and Mg-Si-Zn systems. Two ternary
phases are known in the Al-Mg-Zn system: (Al,Zn)49-
Mg32 is cubic, space group Im3. Al2Mg5Zn2 (denoted /)
has orthorhombic symmetry. For recent updates on
these systems, see [2007Rag1] (Al-Mg-Si), [2010Rag]
(Al-Mg-Zn), [2007Rag2] (Al-Si-Zn) and [1995Vil]
(Mg-Si-Zn).
Fig. 1 Al-Mg-Si computed vertical section along the Mg51Al49-Si join [2010Li]
72 Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion Vol. 32 No. 1 2011
JPEDAV (2011) 32:72–74
1547-7037 ÓASM International
Quaternary Phase Equilibria
With starting metals of 99.99% Al, 99.99% Mg,
99.999% Si and 99.99% Zn, [2010Li] induction-melted
five Zn-rich quaternary alloys, with Zn content varying
between 57 and 67 mass%. The alloys were annealed at
300 °C for 45 days and quenched in water. The phase
equilibria were studied with x-ray powder diffraction,
scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning
calorimetry at a heating rate of 5 °C/min.
In their thermodynamic analysis, [2010Li] used the
binary descriptions from the literature. For the Mg-Si
system, the assessment of [2000Yan] was used in preference
to that of [1997Feu]. For the Al-Mg-Zn and Al-Si-Zn
ternary systems, [2010Li] adopted the assessments of
[1998Lia] and [1996Jac] respectively. They reassessed of
the Al-Mg-Si and Mg-Si-Zn systems. Ternary interaction
parameters were evaluated for the liquid phase in these two
systems. The optimized interaction parameters were listed.
For quaternary calculations, the ternary parameters were
extrapolated.
Figure 1 shows the computed vertical section of the
Al-Mg-Si ternary system along the Al49Mg51-Si join
[2010Li]. Good agreement is seen with the experimental
data of [1977Sch]. [2010Li] also presented computed
vertical sections at 95 mass% Al and along the Al-Mg2Si
join for the Al-Mg-Si system and along the Mg2Si-MgZn2
 Phase Diagram Evaluations: Section II

Fig. 2 Al-Mg-Si-Zn computed vertical section at 15Al-6Si (mass%) [2010Li]

Fig. 3 Al-Mg-Si-Zn computed isothermal section at 460 °C and at 1 mass% Si [2010Li]

join for the Mg-Si-Zn system. These sections (not shown
here) showed reasonable agreement with the experimental
data from the literature.
Figure 2 shows the computed vertical section at 15Al-6Si
(mass%) of the quaternary system. The few experimental
data points from the new results of [2010Li] are in
satisfactory agreement. It may be noted that this agreement
is obtained only with the Mg-Si binary description
of [2000Yan] and not with that of [1997Feu]. Figure 3
shows the computed isothermal section at the Al corner at
460 °C and at 1 mass% Si [2010Li]. The comparison with
the experimental data of [1948Axo] shows reasonable
agreement.
References
1948Axo: H.J. Axon and W. Hume-Rothery, The Effect of 1%
Silicon on the Constitution of Aluminum-Magnesium-Manga-
nese-Zinc Alloys at 460 °C, J. Inst. Metals (London), 1948, 74,
p 315-329

Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion Vol. 32 No. 1 2011 73

Section II: Phase Diagram Evaluations
1977Sch: E. Schurmann and A. Fischer, Melting Equilibria in the
Ternary System Al-Mg-Si, Giessereiforschung, 1977, 29(4),
p 161-165, in German
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