Structure and magnetic properties of Nb-doped FeZrB soft magnetic alloys

• Published in: Journal of magnetism and magnetic materials Vol. 323; no. 16; pp. 2165 - 2169
• Main Authors: Kong, L.H., Gao, Y.L., Song, T.T., Zhai, Q.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.08.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: (FeZrB)100−xNbx amorphous; Amorphous and quasicrystalline magnetic materials; Amorphous structure; Annealing; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Crystallization; Diffraction; Domain effects, magnetization curves, and hysteresis; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic properties; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetization curves, magnetization reversal, hysteresis, barkhausen and related effects; Morphology; Nb-doped; Niobium; Physics; Ribbons; Saturation magnetization; Studies of specific magnetic materials; (FeZrB)100−xNbx amorphous; Nb-doped; Crystallization; Saturation magnetization; Differential scanning calorimetry; Scanning electron microscopy; Annealing; FeZrB; amorphous; Impurity density; Magnetic hysteresis; Amorphous alloy; XRD; Magnetically soft alloy; Soft magnetic materials; Boron alloys; Glass transition; Nb; Niobium additions; Microstructure; Nanocrystal; Iron base alloys; Transition element alloys; Zirconium alloys
• ISSN: 0304-8853
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmmm.2011.03.024

Structure and magnetic properties of Nb-doped (FeZrB)100−xNbx alloy are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry and vibrating sample magnetometer. The fully amorphous structure of the as-quenched ribbons is confirmed by the XRD pattern. With increasing Nb, the glass transition temperature and the onset crystallization temperature are increased, indicating increased stability of the amorphous structure. For x=1, the saturation magnetization of the ribbons is 125.7emu/g and the optimized annealing temperature increases from 550 to 630°C. The morphology of the crystallized phases is observed by scanning electron microscopy. The results show that nanocrystalline α-Fe grains are dispersed in the amorphous matrix. ► We investigate the influence of doping Nb on the structure and magnetic properties of FeZrB amorphous alloy. ► The stability of the amorphous structure improves in Nb-doped alloy. ► Doping Nb is favorable for the design of the annealing process attributing to the extending annealing temperature range. ► Ms increases by 20% of Nb1 alloy due to the formation of a binary phase structure.