Abstract
The liquidus projection of the Ag-Sn-Te ternary system has been experimentally determined in this study. There are 10 primary solidification regions, and they are Ag, ζ-Ag4Sn, ε-Ag3Sn, Sn, SnTe, AgSnTe2, Te, Ag5Te3, Ag1.9Te, and Ag2Te. These data together with the phase diagrams of the three constituent binary systems were used to construct the univariant lines of the liquidus projection. The temperature descending directions of these univariant lines were determined based on thermal analysis results and requirement of mass balance. The types of the invariant reactions and the reactions temperature are obtained from the temperature descending directions of the univariant lines and the thermal analysis. There are 2 class I reactions and 6 class II reactions. The invariant reaction of highest reaction temperature is L+Ag=ζ-Ag4Sn+Ag2Te at 719±4oC, and that of the lowest reaction temperature is L=Sn+ Ag3Sn+SnTe at 221±4oC.