Vickers Microhardness and Hyperfine Magnetic Field Variations of Heat Treated Amorphous Fe₇₈Si₉B₁₃ Alloy Ribbons

Abstract

Amorphous Fe₇₈Si₉B₁₃ alloy ribbons were heat treated between 296 and 763 K, using heating rates between 1 and 4.5 K/min. Whereas one ribbon partially crystallized at T _x = 722 K, the other one partially crystallized at T _x = 763 K. The partially crystallized ribbon at 722 K, heat treated using a triangular form for the heating and cooling rates, was substantially less fragile than the partially crystallized at 763 K where a tooth saw form for the heating and cooling rates was used. Vickers microhardness and hyperfine magnetic field values behaved almost concomitantly between 296 and 673 K. The Mössbauer spectral line widths of the heat-treated ribbons decreased continuously from 296 to 500 K, suggesting stress relief in this temperature range where the Vickers microhardness did not increase. At 523 K the line width decreased further but the microhardness increased substantially. After 523 K the line width behave in an oscillating form as well as the microhardness, indicating other structural changes in addition to the stress relief. Finally, positron lifetime data showed that both inner part and surface of Fe₇₈Si₉B₁₃ alloy ribbons were affected distinctly. Variations on the surface may be the cause of some of the high Vickers microhardness values measured in the amorphous state.