EFFECT OF RAPID ANNEALINGON MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF THE NANOCRYSTALLINE Fe80Nb3Cu1Si6B10ALLOY

Impact of rapid annealing on the soft magnetic properties of the Fe80Nb3Cu1Si6B10 alloy has been investigated. Parent as-quenched ribbons were prepared by planar flow casting method. Rapid thermal treatments (7-30s) has been conducted at 500°C using the preheated Cu blocks to ensure elevated heating rate of more than 100 K/s. Reference samples were isothermally annealed in the vacuum furnace for 1 h at the same temperature. X-Ray diffraction unveiled formation of nanocrystalline structure of bcc α-Fe(Si) grains, embedded in the residual amorphous matrix in all processed samples, irrespective of the annealing technique. Evolution of coercivity and saturation magnetization values, obtained from the measured hysteresis loops, showed improved magnetic softness of the rapidly annealed samples, compared to the as-quenched and conventionally processed ones. Significant embrittlement of the samples after nanocrystallization has been observed regardless of annealing time and thermal treatment technique used.