Phase transformations in electrolytic silver-zinc alloys

A comparative study of the phases in cast and electrodeposited silver- zinc alloys has been made by means of an X-ray diffraction technique. The phase transformations in electrolytic alloys deposited at various controlled cathode potentials from cyanide baths were confirmed by resistivity and microhardness measurements. The existence of various metastable alloys in the as-deposited state and their subsequent transformation on annealing to equilibrium phases are discussed in the light of excess energy supplied by the cathode potential, co-deposited hydrogen and the vacancies left by the loss of the initially co-deposited hydrogen.