I'm a little confused about plotting a binary eutectic diagram (temperature vs mole fraction), and finding the eutectic point. I understand the eutectic point is the lowest temperature that a mixture of the two substances will melt, and that this is somehow related to minimizing the Gibbs free energy of the system. However, I can't figure out how to actually solve for the eutectic point or how to graph it based on the melting temperature and enthalpy of fusion of two compounds.
I found a formula XAXB=TB−T0TA−T0 where X is the mole fraction of each component, but I was getting unrealistic answers for certain mole fractions, e.g. for XA=.9 I was getting a value greater than the melting point of A. And for XA=XB this equation can't be solved. Also, this formula doesn't take into account the enthalpy of fusion, so doesn't seem to relate to the free energy.
The volume & entropy of the system is unknown, so I wasn't sure how to set up an equation to solve for the Gibbs free energy of either component, but I was thinking that if I had an equation, I would be able to solve a system of equations for the lowest free energy and plot it (somehow?).
Can anyone explain the relationship between the making a eutectic diagram and the free energy of components in the system?
Edit: Thank you for the answer! That was really helpful conceptually in relating the free energy of a mixture to that of the pure substances, but I actually have a problem from the class that says:
Calculate and graph the binary eutectic melting diagram for the system diopside - anorthite using the data given below, and assuming for both diopside and anorthite that the activity in the liquid is equal to the mole fraction.
Diopside(CaMgSiX2OX6):ΔHfusion=20,000 cal/molTfusion=1390 ∘CAnorthite(CaAlX2SiX2OX6):ΔHfusion=29,000 cal/molTfusion=1553 ∘C
So it must be possible to find based on these parameters right? Is the fact that the activity is equal to the mole fraction make the difference in solving it?
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