Preparation of a bulk Fe83B17 soft magnetic alloy by undercooling and copper-mold casting methods

Bulk Fe83B17 eutectic alloy rods with diameters up to 3 mm were prepared by undercooling solidification combined with Cu-mold casting. The results showed that the rapid solidification led to an increase in the nucleation rate, an inhibition of the grain growth and a competition between a stable Fe2B phase and a metastable Fe3B phase. Then, pure nano-lamellar eutectic microstructures and the metastable Fe3B phase were successfully obtained in as-solidified alloys, which resulted in improved soft magnetic properties.