Electron irradiation induced crystallization and amorphization in Fe 77Nd 4.5B 18.5 metallic glass

Abstract

Electron irradiation induced phase transformation behavior in Fe 77Nd 4.5B 18.5 (number indicate at.%) metallic glass was investigated. The melt-spun amorphous phase could not keep the original structure under electron irradiation at 298 K. α-Fe, Nd 2Fe 14B and Fe 17Nd 2 phases precipitated from the amorphous phase. There was a great difference in phase selection in a crystallization process between thermal annealing and electron irradiation. The Nd 2Fe 14B and Fe 17Nd 2 intermetallic compounds transformed to an amorphous phase under electron irradiation at 121 K, while the amorphization of α-Fe solid solution did not occur. A unique nanocrystalline structure which cannot be realized by thermal crystallization was formed through electron irradiation induced crystallization and amorphization.