Lead-free solder alloys: Thermodynamic properties of the (Au + Sb + Sn) and the (Au + Sb) system

The thermodynamic properties of liquid (Au–Sb–Sn) alloys were studied with an electromotive force (EMF) method using the eutectic mixture of KCl/LiCl with addition of SnCl(2) as a liquid electrolyte. Activities of Sn in the liquid alloys were measured at three cross-sections with constant molar ratios of Au:Sb = 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2 with tin in the concentration range between 5 at.% and 90 at.% from the liquidus of the samples up to 1073 K. The integral Gibbs excess energies and the integral enthalpies at 873 K were calculated by Gibbs–Duhem integration. Additionally liquid Au–Sb alloys have been measured at 913 K with the EMF method as no reliable data for the Gibbs excess energies have been found in literature. The eutectic mixture of KCl/LiCl with addition of SbCl(3) has been used as an electrolyte for the measurements. The Gibbs excess energies from the (Au + Sb) system were necessary for the integration of the thermodynamic properties of the ternary (Au + Sb + Sn) system.