Project description
Building phase diagrams for Cu-As-(Ni, Sb) alloys
Sulfosalt minerals, from which copper (Cu) is mined, are characterised by high concentrations of arsenic (As), nickel (Ni) and antimony (Sb). However, the properties of Cu-As-(Ni, Sb)-based alloys are poorly understood. As no phase diagrams of such ternary alloys exist, their material characteristics remain widely unknown. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the ASCUNISB project will focus on the physico-chemical properties of Cu mined from sulfosalt minerals. The project will build phase diagrams for Cu-As-(Ni, Sb) alloys by investigating each alloy phase and identifying unknown phases. ASCUNISB will also create a base for new applications, reduce economic and environmental costs, and deliver a database to address urgent research questions by assessing the earliest metal technologies c. 2300 BCE.
Objective
ASCUNISB will focus on the physico-chemical properties of copper (Cu) mined from sulfosalt minerals, which are characterised by high concentrations of arsenic (As), nickel (Ni), and antimony (Sb). Despite being the earliest produced alloy, the characteristics of Cu-As-(Ni, Sb) based alloys are poorly understood, and no phase diagrams of such ternary alloys exist; consequently, material characteristics of such alloys are widely unknown. ASCUNISB aims to achieve the following research objectives:
1) Build phase diagrams for Cu-As-(Ni, Sb) alloys with 1-5 wt.% of As, Sb, Ni: investigate the phases of each alloy and identify unknown phases with desirable properties; understand initial phase formation, stability, and changes in alloys over the passage of time at different temperatures; explain and predict specific material behaviour during thermomechanical treatment; understand the effects of Ni and Sb addition on parent Cu-As alloys.
2) Create a base for new applications: Cu-As based alloys have superior ductility and corrosion resistance than pure copper and other copper alloys. ASCUNISB will provide the data for Cu-As-(Ni, Sb) alloys to enable new applications in material engineering and find modern-day uses for them, and, consequently
3) Reduce economic and environmental costs of refining and pollution: through new applications of the Cu-As alloys studied, As, Sb, and/or Ni would not need to be removed from mined sulfosalt minerals;
4) Provide a database for urgent research questions in prehistory: ASCUNISB will provide the data needed to assess the earliest metal technologies in prehistory and explain the adaption, recycling, and disregarded Cu-As alloys c. 2300 BCE.
ASCUNISB applies an interdisciplinary approach by combining X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), metallographic and chemical analysis (SEM-EDXS, optical microscopy) of Cu-As-(Ni, Sb) alloys.
Fields of science
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdatabases
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metals
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsmicroscopy
- natural scienceschemical sciencesanalytical chemistrycalorimetry
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
16126 Genova
Italy