Evaluation of the Effect of Minor Additions in the Crystallization Path of [(Fe0.5Co0.5)0.75B0.2Si0.05]100-xMx Metallic Glasses by Means of Mössbauer Spectroscopy

Abstract

Understanding the crystallization of metallic glasses is fundamental in the design of new alloys with enhanced properties and better glass-formability. The crystallization of a series of Fe-based metallic glasses of composition [(Fe0.5Co0.5)0.75B0.2Si0.05]100-xMx (M = Mo, Nb and Zr) has been studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry and transmission Mössbauer spectroscopy. This latter technique allows the following of the microstructural evolution of the studied alloys through the identification and quantification of the several Fe-containing crystalline phases and also through the changes in the amorphous structure at the initial stages of crystallization. The results show that the crystallization products are the same for all the studied compositions (α-Fe, Fe2B, (FeCo)23B6 and a paramagnetic remnant) although with different relative proportions and the crystallization of a phase without Fe in the alloys with Zr. Moreover, the addition of Zr favors the crystallization of α-Fe causing a detrimental effect on the glass forming ability, while the increase in Mo content up to 6 at% favors the crystallization of (FeCo)23B6. The different amount of α-Fe and borides is presented as a measure of the glass forming ability of this type of alloys.