Fe-based bulk amorphous alloys with iron contents as high as 82 at%

• Novel Fe-based BAA with no other metallic element except 81 at% Fe was prepared.
• Fe-based bulk amorphous alloy (BAA) with the highest Fe content (82%) was prepared.
• Very high saturation magnetization of 1.59 T has been achieved.
• A new thought for designing Fe-based BAA with high Fe content was provided.

Fe-based bulk amorphous alloys (BAAs) with high Fe contents are advantageous due to their high saturation magnetization and low cost. However, preparing Fe-based BAAs with Fe contents higher than 80 at% is difficult due to their poor glass forming abilities (GFA). In this study, an Fe81P8.5C5.5B2Si3 BAA with a diameter of 1 mm and a saturation magnetization of 1.56 T was successfully prepared using the fluxing and copper mold casting methods. In addition, by introducing a small amount of elemental Mo to the alloy, an Fe82Mo1P6.5C5.5B2Si3 BAA rod with a diameter of 1 mm, a high saturation magnetization of 1.59 T, a high yield stress of 3265 MPa, and a clear plasticity of 1.3% was prepared in the same way. The cost effectiveness and good magnetic properties of these newly-developed Fe-based BAAs with Fe contents as high as 82 at% would be advantageous and promising for industrial applications.