Soft magnetic and microstructural investigation in Fe-based amorphous alloy

In this paper, the results of investigations concerning Fe61Co10Y8W1B20 alloy are presented. The alloy samples were produced, using an injection-casting method, in the form of plates of approximate thickness 0.5 mm. Analysis of the results facilitates the description of structural transformations which occurred within the amorphous material as a result of isothermal annealing, the latter having been carried out under specified conditions. This thermal treatment led to the creation within the amorphous matrix of evenly distributed nanometric sized crystalline grains. The structure and microstructure of the samples in the as-quenched and nanocrystalline states were analysed by means of: X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and computer tomography (CT). The influence of the structural changes on the magnetic properties was studied using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Detailed analysis of the microstructure was performed on the ferromagnetic alloy samples with amorphous and nanocrystalline structure; this, in connection with the magnetic studies, facilitated full description of the influence of changes in the microstructure, and imperfections created during the production process, on the magnetic properties.