Study on the Mechanical Properties of Zirconium Reinforced Platinum-Gold Alloy

As a potential material for next-generation platinum channels, the Pt-5Au alloy offers promising advantages by significantly reducing processing costs while improving the quality of glass substrate production. This study investigates the possibility of enhancing the mechanical properties of the Pt-5Au alloy by introducing trace amounts of zirconium, leading to the formation of dispersion-strengthening phases. Using first-principles calculations, we systematically examined the mechanical and thermodynamic properties of four potential strengthening phases: Pt 3 Zr, PtZr, Pt 3 Zr 5 and PtZr 2 . The calculation results of the enthalpy of formation (ΔH) and cohesive energy (E coh ) of four potential strengthening phases show that they can all spontaneously perform and stably exist under 0 K and 0 Pa environment. Among them, Pt 3 Zr exhibits the most favourable properties, including outstanding toughness (Pugh’s ratio = 2.212), exceptional hardness (H V = 10.820 GPa) and thermodynamic properties closely aligned with those of the Pt-5Au alloy, making it the most suitable candidate for a dispersion-strengthening phase. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the thermodynamic performance, mechanical performance and high-temperature performance of potential strengthening phases in the Pt-5Au alloy, offering theoretical guidance for optimising its composition and supporting the industrial application of platinum channels in the production process of high-performance glass substrates.