Electron irradiation induced crystallization and amorphization in Fe77Nd4.5B18.5 metallic glass

Electron irradiation induced phase transformation behavior in Fe77Nd4.5B18.5 (number indicate at.%) metallic glass was investigated. The melt-spun amorphous phase could not keep the original structure under electron irradiation at 298 K. α-Fe, Nd2Fe14B and Fe17Nd2 phases precipitated from the amorphous phase. There was a great difference in phase selection in a crystallization process between thermal annealing and electron irradiation. The Nd2Fe14B and Fe17Nd2 intermetallic compounds transformed to an amorphous phase under electron irradiation at 121 K, while the amorphization of α-Fe solid solution did not occur. A unique nanocrystalline structure which cannot be realized by thermal crystallization was formed through electron irradiation induced crystallization and amorphization.