Effect of Nb and Cr incorporation on the structural and magnetic properties of rapidly quenched FeCoSiB microwires

• Published in: Journal of magnetism and magnetic materials 2012-08, Vol.324 (16), p.2543-2546
• Main Authors: Sarkar, Partha, Roy, R.K., Mitra, A., Panda, A.K., Churyukanov, Margarita, Kaloshkin, Sergey
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alloying additive; Alloying elements; Amorphous wire; Chromium; Chromium base alloys; Coercive force; Crystallization; Curie temperature; Giant magneto-impedance; Niobium; Niobium base alloys; Quenching (cooling); Rapidly quenched
• ISSN: 0304-8853
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmmm.2012.03.041

Rapidly quenched microwires with a nominal composition of Fe39Co39Si8B14 (#AO), Fe37Co37Nb4Si8B14 (#AN) and Fe36Co36Nb4Cr2Si8B14 (#ANC) have been investigated. Devitrification of as-quenched microwires showed that crystallization temperatures increased with simultaneous incorporation of Nb and Cr as in #ANC alloy. Addition of these elements also contributed to an increase in activation energy in #AN and #ANC alloys. Nb addition reduced the particle size, which became much finer in the case of the Cr-containing alloy. Although Nb addition did not have much effect on lowering the Curie temperature TC of the amorphous phase, Cr substitution lowered TC to 698K from high values of 785K and 787K observed in the #AO and #ANC alloys, respectively. However, the Cr addition revealed a better Giant magneto-impedance (GMI) response compared to the other alloys. Such improved GMI properties in the Cr-containing alloy are attributed to lower values of the coercivity and magnetostriction in the alloy containing both Nb and Cr. ► FeCoSiB based rapidly quenched microwires prepared by in-rotating-water quenching system. ► Effect of Nb and Cr on the thermal and GMI behavior of FeCoSiB microwires has been investigated. ► Effect of Nb and Cr on magnetic properties has also been investigated.