Subsolidus phase equilibria of the CuO–SrO–ZnO pseudoternary system in air at 900 °C

The subsolidus phase equilibria of the CuO – SrO – ZnO system were determined at 900 °C in air. The pseudoternary section does not contain ternary oxide phases but is made of 5 three-phase regions and 2 narrow two-phase regions linked to a Sr₁₄Cu_24-xZn_xO_41-y solid solution. The maximum solubility of Zn in this phase is limited to x ≈ 0.1, but this low doping level results in a significant decrease of the electrical resistivity by about one order of magnitude compared to the undoped compound. The other binary oxide phases SrZnO₂,Sr₂CuO₃, and SrCuO₂ do not form solid solutions extending into the ternary system. SrZnO₂ was found to decompose upon contact with ambient air.