Structure and soft magnetic properties of bulk Fe-Al-Ga-P-C-B-Si glassy alloys prepared by consolidating amorphous powders

Structure and soft magnetic properties of the bulk Fe70Al5Ga2P9.65C5.75B4.6Si3 glassy alloy prepared by pulse current sintering with uniaxial pressure were investigated. The sample consolidated in the temperature range of the supercooled liquid region consists only of amorphous phase and has a very high relative density of 99%. The flux density under applied field of 800 A/m (B800), maximum permeability (μmax) and coercive force (Hc) for the sample sintered at 703 K in as-made state are 1.08 T, 7600 and 12.0 A/m, respectively. B800 and μmax are improved to 1.17 T and 8000 by annealing at 723 K for 3.6 ks. The soft magnetic properties of the bulk Fe-based glassy alloy are superior to those of the bulk Fe-Si-B alloy consolidated amorphous powders. It is considered that the high relative density and good soft magnetic properties for the bulk Fe-based glassy alloy depend upon its high structural homogeneity originated from its high deformability, that is based on the viscous flow arisen from the appearance of supercooled liquid region.