The microstructures and thermal properties of Fe61Co9-xZr8Mo5WxB17 (x=0 and 2) formed under different vacuum conditions were investigated by scanning electron microscopy(SEM), X-ray diffractometry(XRD), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), and conventional dilatometry(DIL). The variation of the non-monotonic effects of tungsten content and vacuum conditions on the glass forming ability(GFA) of Fe-based alloys can be drawn in a schematic diagram. The higher the GFA of alloys, the higher the difference between the thermal expansion coefficients of glassy state and crystalline state(-α), which can be described by the free volume model during dilatometric measurements. Under low and high vacuum conditions, the viscosity and microhardness are improved and the fragility of the Fe-based alloys are decreased by adding tungsten.
A metallic crystalline/amorphous (c/a) bulk composite was prepared by the slow cooling method after remelting the amorphous Fe78Si9B13 ribbon. By X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), the composite consists of the primary dendrite α-Fe (without Si) as well as the amorphous matrix. After being anneal at 800 K, the uniform spheroid particles are formed in the c/a composite, which does not form in the amorphous ribbon under the various annealing process. Energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), SEM and XRD were applied to give more detailed information. The formation and evolution of the particle may stimulate the possible application of the Fe-matrix amorphous alloy.
