Viscosity and surface tension of liquid Fe–metalloid glass-forming alloys

Amorphous and nanocrystalline Fe-based alloys have a wide range of applications as soft magnetic materials. This paper summarises our recent advances in investigation of those thermophysical properties of liquid Fe–metalloid alloys with relevance for both structural evolution of the melt and technological application. Viscosity measurements at high temperatures were performed by oscillating-cup method. Surface tension was determined by the sessile drop method. Composition dependence of the viscosity and surface tension for Fe–B alloys [Phys. Stat. Sol. (a) 31 (1975) K41] in the glass-forming range is discussed. A short review of the results on the temperature variation of viscosity and surface tension for FeBSi alloys is presented. High viscosity values near the liquidus temperature and a specific behaviour of this structure-sensitive property during heating and cooling the molten alloys were found [Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 17 (1978) 1911]. These results are related to clustering effects in these melts with preferential interaction between unlike atoms.