Analysis of Asgar-Mahler reaction zone in Dispersalloy amalgam by electron diffraction

Selected area reflection electron diffraction has been used to determine the phases present in the reaction zones surrounding the Ag-Cu eutectic dispersant in Dispersalloy amalgam. The experiments were carried out on two kinds of specimens, (1) Dispersalloy amalgam and (2) Dispersalloy amalgam using 30, 50, 75, and 100% more mercury than found in commercially available capsules. The results show that the reaction zones in the specimens of the present investigation consist of Cu6Sn5 and Ag2Hg3. These diffraction data confirm the presence of the phases in the reaction zone which are suggested by the elemental analysis obtained by Mahler and his associates using an electron probe. Moreover, the strong intensity of the eta-Cu6Sn5 diffraction rings suggests a composition which is predominantly Cu6Sn5, again, in agreement with the electron probe data.