Diffusion induced segregation in the case of the ternary system sphalerite, chalcopyrite and cubanite

Abstract

A mathematical model for describing natural and experimental diffusion induced segregation (DIS) in the case of a (Zn,Fe)S single crystal with three coexisting phases is derived. As main result, a new and quite general segregation principle for ternary systems is discovered where one phase has a flat free energy density and serves as catalyst for the segregation of the other two phases. The model includes also a stochastic noise term to represent fluctuations of the copper concentration. Numerical simulations in 2-d underline the physical significance of the model and allow to make quantitative predictions. © 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.