Energetics of Formation of Nanocrystalline Structures in Finemet, Nanoperm and Hitperm Alloys

Abstract

Processes controlling transformation in three rapidly quenched nanocrystal-forming systems, Finemet, Nanoperm and Hitperm, were analyzed using a novel approach which provides the distribution of true activation energies of nanocrystallization and their temperature dependencies. This approach yields new information with respect to the original local ordering of atoms in the amorphous phase and its influence on the formation of nanostructures. Additional information is extracted which allows to compare processes in the early stages of nanocrystallization with those at the end of the phase transformation.