Relevance of Fe atomic volumes for the magnetic properties of Fe-rich metallic glasses

► The atomic volume of Fe atoms are compared in various Fe-rich metallic glasses. ► A similarity of the Fe neighborhood with an fcc structure is assumed. ► An inherent distribution of Fe atomic volumes is assumed. ► Fe-B glasses seem to have high-spin states only appearing in fcc-Fe. ► Fe-Zr glasses seem to have both low-spin and high-spin states appearing in fcc-Fe.