In situ X-ray diffraction investigation of nanocrystallization of amorphous Co–Fe–Zr–B alloys

• Published in: Journal of magnetism and magnetic materials Vol. 316; no. 2; pp. e823 - e826
• Main Authors: Bednarčík, J., Nicula, R., Stir, M., Burkel, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.09.2007
• Subjects: Crystallization; Glass; X-ray diffraction; 61.10−i; X-ray diffraction; 81.40.Ef; 61.43.Fs; Glass; Crystallization
• ISSN: 0304-8853
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmmm.2007.03.115

Cobalt-rich soft-magnetic alloys were recently developed as amorphous materials with promising engineering properties, e.g. high mechanical strength, excellent magnetic properties and high corrosion resistance. The crystallization of the as-prepared amorphous alloys plays a crucial role in most technological applications of these advanced soft-magnetic nanomaterials. Amorphous ribbons with nominal composition Co 56Fe 16Zr 8B 20 (at%) were here obtained by single-roller melt spinning. The nucleation and growth of nanoscale phases during constant-rate heating of as-quenched and of high-energy ball-milled Co-rich amorphous soft-magnetic alloys were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and by in situ high-temperature powder X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation. The temperature/time evolution of the crystallite size and of average microstrain was obtained from the X-ray diffraction line-profile analysis (LPA) of the powder diffraction patterns.