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Effects of Si content on structure and soft magnetic properties of Fe81.3SixB17-xCu1.7 nanocrystalline alloys with pre-existing α-Fe nanocrystals

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Abstract

The as-spun structure, thermal stability, crystallization structure and soft magnetic properties of Fe81.3SixB17-xCu1.7 (x = 0–8) alloys were investigated. The Fe–Si–B–Cu amorphous alloys contain α-Fe nanocrystals with a high number density (Nd) in as-spun state and show uniform nanocrystalline structure and typical soft magnetic characteristics after annealing. The rise of Si content from 0 to 4 at% increases the Nd, while the further rise to 8 at% shows an adverse effect. The increased Nd enhances competitive growth between the crystals during crystallization process, then refines structure and improves soft magnetic properties of the nanocrystalline alloys. Contrarily, the decreased Nd results in coarsened nanostructure and deteriorated magnetic softness. The alloy with Si content of 4 at% contains α-Fe crystals with a high Nd of 2.2 × 1023 m−3 in as-spun state and possesses fine α-Fe grains with an average size (D) of 14 nm, low coercivity (Hc) of 7.1 A/m, high effective permeability (at 1 kHz) of 16,500 and saturation magnetic flux density of 1.77 T after annealing at 668 K for 60 min. In addition, the Hc of present Fe–Si–B–Cu nanocrystalline alloys is almost proportional to D3 due to the high ratio of uniaxial anisotropy to average random anisotropy.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China [Grant No. 2016YFB0300500], the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant No. 51571047], Ningbo Major Special Projects of the Plan "Science and Technology Innovation 2025" [Grant No. 2018B10084].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Application Technology, CAS Key Laboratory of Magnetic Materials and Devices, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology & Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, Zhejiang, China

    Xingjie Jia, Yaqiang Dong, Aina He, Jiawei Li & Run-Wei Li

  2. Key Laboratory of Solidification Control and Digital Preparation Technology (Liaoning Province), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China

    Xingjie Jia & Wei Zhang

  3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Yaqiang Dong, Aina He, Jiawei Li & Run-Wei Li

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  1. Xingjie Jia
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Jia, X., Zhang, W., Dong, Y. et al. Effects of Si content on structure and soft magnetic properties of Fe81.3SixB17-xCu1.7 nanocrystalline alloys with pre-existing α-Fe nanocrystals. J Mater Sci 56, 2539–2548 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-020-05404-w

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