Phase separation and glass forming ability of (Fe0.72Mo0.04B0.24)100-xGdx (x = 4, 8) bulk metallic glasses

•Effect of Gd addition on the glass forming ability.•Adding %8 Gd to the composition gives the system an amorphous structure.•The addition of appropriate amount of Gd causes of phase separation.•A phase separated B-rich and Fe-rich BMG.

The effect of Gd addition on the Glass Forming Ability (GFA), magnetic and thermal properties in (Fe0.72Mo0.04B0.24)100-xGdx (x = 4, 8) bulk metallic glasses were investigated. The examined amorphous alloys' structural, thermal and magnetic properties were investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron mi-croscopy (SEM) differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The results show that molten (Fe0.72Mo0.04B0.24)92Gd8 presents the fully amorphous structure and solidifies into two different Fe-rich and B-rich amorphous phases. The DSC curve shows that the (Fe0.72Mo0.04B0.24)92Gd8 has supercooled liquid region (∆Tx) of about 70 K and the saturation magnetization (Js) and coercivity (Hc) for as-cast bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) was 0.53 T and 223 A/m respectively.