Crystallization behavior of αFe in Fe₈₄Nb ₇B₉ and Fe₈₅Nb₆B₉ amorphous alloys

Structures of amorphous Fe₈₄Nb₇B₉ (FN7) and Fe₈₅Nb₆B₉ (FN6) alloys were investigated by high-energy X-ray diffraction. The structures of FN6 and FN7 contain a relatively large amount of bcc-Fe like clusters. This cluster size seems to grow larger for FN6 than for FN7. From the lattice parameters of αFe precipitates, the crystallization behavior of both alloys were discussed. The αFe precipitates contain supersaturated Nb and B. These solute atoms are removed from αFe by annealing at elevated temperature and stabilize the amorphous matrix. This appears to prevent the growth of αFe to maintain nano-scale αFe particles.