Investigation into the Effect of Thermal Treatment on the Obtaining of Magnetic Phases: Fe5Y, Fe23B6, Y2Fe14B and αFe within the Amorphous Matrix of Rapidly-Quenched Fe61+xCo10−xW1Y8B20 Alloys (Where x = 0, 1 or 2)

Abstract

The paper presents the results of research on the structure and magnetic properties of Fe61+xCo10−xW1Y8B20 alloys (where x = 0, 1 or 2). The alloys were produced using two production methods with similar cooling rates: Injection casting and suction casting. The alloy samples produced were subjected to isothermal annealing at 940 K for 10 min. The structure of the materials was examined using X-ray diffraction. Isothermal annealing has led to the formation of various crystallization products depending on the chemical composition of the alloy and the structure of the alloy in a solidified state. In two cases, the product of crystallization was the hard magnetic phase Y2Fe14B. However, the mechanism of this phase formation was different in both cases. The magnetic properties of alloys were tested using a vibrating sample magnetometer and a Faraday magnetic balance. It is found that the grain crystallite size of the crystalline phases have a decisive influence on the value of the coercive field (especially in the case of hard magnetic phases). It has been shown that privileged areas can already be created during the production process. Their presence determines the crystallization process.