Non-equilibrium and crystalline phases on the Mg-Ga-Sn system

Samples in the eutectic composition were obtained with the piston and anvil technique and the crystallization towards a metastable phase was observed upon annealing at room temperature. Small amounts of Sn were added to the binary MgGa in order to analyze its influence on the glass forming ability. Cast and rapid quenched ternary samples were studied employing X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy and electron probe microanalysis. The solubility of the third element was analyzed in the equilibrium phases Mg₅Ga₂, Mg₂Ga and Mg₂Sn. As far as we know, these are the first contributions to the knowledge of the MgGaSn system.