GLASS FORMING ABILITY OF HARD MAGNETIC Nd55Al20Fe25 BULK GLASSY ALLOY WITH DISTINCT GLASS TRANSITION

Abstract

Nd 55 Al 20 Fe 25 bulk sample was prepared in the shape of rods 3 mm in diameter by suction casting. The sample exhibits typical amorphous characters in XRD pattern, distinct glass transition in DSC traces and hard magnetic properties. The distinct glass transition, which is invisible in DSC traces of previously reported Nd — Al — Fe ternary BMGs, allows us to investigate the glass forming ability (GFA) of Nd 55 Al 20 Fe 25 alloy using the reduced glass transition temperature Trg and the recently defined parameter γ. However, it is found that the obtained diameter of the Nd 55 Al 20 Fe 25 glassy rod is much larger than the critical section thickness of the BMG predicted by either Trg or γ. The microstructure of Nd 55 Al 20 Fe 25 as-cast rod was studied and the apparent GFA of the alloy was supposed to be enhanced by the metastable nano-precipitates dispersed within the glassy matrix.