Mossbauer study of amorphous Zr_100-xFe_x alloys

The structure of melt-spun Zr_100-xFe_x glasses (20<or=x<or=43) has been investigated by Mossbauer spectroscopy. All alloys showed a pure paramagnetic absorption spectrum with two broadened asymmetric lines which exhibit approximately a pseudo-lorentzian line shape. The spectra were fitted by three independent quadrupole doublets or by distributions of hyperfine parameters using the method of Hesse and Rubartsch (1974). Two different Fe sites can be distinguished corresponding possibly to the compositions Zr₇₀Fe₃₀ and Zr₅₀Fe₅₀. By comparison with the crystalline structures and DRPHS models, the first site is attributed to trigonal and distorted trigonal prismatic surroundings connected to the crystalline structural units of Zr₃Fe or cubic Zr₂Fe, whereas a smaller fraction of 9% is associated with a more open structure. Above 33 at.% Fe the structure is changed, i.e. a new site dominates, which is connected to a possible intermetallic compound ZrFe, for which Fe-Fe contacts might occur.