Influence of Co and Zr Content on Creation of Crystalline Phases in Rapidly-Cooled, Injection-Cast Alloys Fe70Zr8-xCoxNb2B20 (where x=0, 2, 4, 6 or 8)

M. Nabiałeka, S. Waltersb, P. Vizureanuc, d, M.M.A.B. Abdullahd, B. Jeża aDepartment of Physics, Częstochowa University of Technology, al. Armii Krajowej 19, 42-200 Częstochowa, Poland bUniversity of Brighton, BN2 4GJ, Brighton, United Kingdom cGheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iasi, Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Blvd. D. Mangeron 41, 700050, Iasi, Romania dCenter of Excellence Geopolymer & Green Technology (CEGeoGTech), School of Materials Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, 01000 Kangar, Perlis, Malaysia

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Rapid solidification techniques allow the manufacture of nanocrystalline alloys using a single-stage production process. There is an issue with the reproducibility of this process. However, careful selection of the chemical composition of the alloy allows a degree of control over the process. This paper presents the results of investigations into the structure and magnetic properties of rapidly-quenched alloys based on Fe. For these investigations, alloys with the compositions of Fe70Zr8-xCoxNb2B20 (where x=0, 2, 4, 6, or 8) were selected. The alloys were made using an injection-casting method. The structure of the obtained alloys was investigated using X-ray diffractometry. Utilising dedicated software, the crystalline phases within the volume of the samples were identified - as the magnetic phases of Fe23B6, αFe, and Fe2B. The magnetic properties of the produced alloys were determined on the basis of measurements of the magnetic polarisation curves as a function of temperature, and the static hysteresis loops. The thermomagnetic curves confirmed the existence of the Fe23B6 phase within the volume of two samples. The values of the saturation magnetisation and coercive field were determined from the static hysteresis loops. The alloys in which the presence of the Fe23B6 phase was detected (alloy compositions Fe70Zr4Co4Nb2B20 and Fe70Zr2Co6Nb2B20) were found to exhibit soft magnetic properties. A progressive decline in the presence of the Fe2B phase within the investigated alloys was observed with increasing Co content (at the expense of Zr content). On the basis of the performed investigations, the major influence of the Co and Zr content on the creation process of the crystalline phases, during the rapid solidification process was confirmed.

DOI:10.12693/APhysPolA.138.152 topics: rapidly-quenched alloys, X-ray diffractometry, injection-casting method