Bulk amorphous and nanocrystalline Fe86Zr5.5Nb5.5B3 alloy by rapid consolidation at super-high pressure

Microstructure and soft magnetic properties of a bulk amorphous and nanocrystalline Fe86Zr5.5Nb5.5B3 alloy prepared by rapid consolidation at a super-high pressure (at 1150 W at 5.5 GPa for 3 min) were investigated. The bulk alloy had a high relative density of 98.3% and high saturation magnetization of 120 emu/g. The size of the nanocrystalline α-Fe phase in the bulk samples was 10-16 nm. The relative density ρr had a linear relation with the crystalline volume fraction Vc in the bulk alloy: ρr=0.6624+0.5616Vc. The preparing process used in this study makes it easy not only to generate the bulk alloy containing both amorphous and nanocrystalline phases but also to give good soft magnetic properties. And what is more important, there will be no longer restriction in the composition, size and shape of bulk alloys prepared by this process.