Evaluation of critical cooling rate of Fe76Si9B10P5 metallic glass by containerless solidification process

We aim to prepare monodispersed and homogenous spherical particles of pure Fe76Si9B10P5 metallic glass with a low content of nucleation sites, and to evaluate the intrinsic glass-forming ability of Fe76Si9B10P5 alloys by containerless solidification. Monodispersed Fe76Si9B10P5 particles were successfully prepared by our originally developed pulsated orifice ejection method under He and Ar gas atmosphere. All obtained particles, with diameters ranging from 313 to 664 μm, were identified as single glassy or amorphous phases by X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and transmission electron microscopy. The critical cooling rate to form the fully glassy or amorphous phase was estimated in less than 550 K/s by a Newtonian cooling model. The results show that the Fe76Si9B10P5 alloy has sufficient glass-forming ability under restrained nucleation conditions.