Novel tin-containing Fe-base glassy alloys

The structure and magnetic properties of melt-spun multicomponent Fe/sub 80-x/Sn/sub x/P/sub 12/Si/sub 4/B/sub 4/ (x=1~8 at%) ribbons were investigated. The improvement of thermal stability was recognized with the replacement of Fe by 1~6 at% Sn in these alloys. The supercooled liquid region ((delta)T/sub x/) defined by the difference between crystallization temperature and glass transition temperature increases from 38.4 K as x=1 to 46.6 K as x=6. Optimal magnetic properties of Fe/sub 80-x/Sn/sub x/P/sub 12/Si/sub 4/B/sub 4/ (x=1~6 at%) amorphous ribbons annealed at 723 K for 600 s are: saturation magnetization 1.33 T; coercive force 2.86 A/m, maximum permeability 134 000, core loss 0.07 W/kg (50 Hz, 1 T external magnetic field); Curie temperature is from 593 K to 600 K; the resistivity spans from 154 to 188 (mu)(omega)-cm. The alloys have potential in applications such as cores for power transformers.