Crystallization of Fe sub(83) B sub(17) amorphous alloy by electric pulses produced by a capacitor discharge

Heating of conductive materials by electric current is used in many technological processes. Application of electric pulses to metallic glasses induces their fast crystallization, which is an interesting and complex phenomenon. In this work, crystallization of the Fe sub(83)B sub(17) amorphous alloy induced by pulses of electric current produced has been studied using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Ribbons of the alloy were directly subjected to single pulses of electric current 250 mu s long formed by a capacitor discharge. As the value of \(\smallint I super({2}) {\text{d}}t\) was increased from 0.33 to 2.00 A super(2) s, different crystallization stages could be observed. The crystallization began through the formation of the nuclei of alpha -Fe. At high values of \(\smallint I super({2}) {\text{d}}t\), alpha -Fe and tetragonal and orthorhombic Fe sub(3)B and Fe sub(23)B sub(6) were detected in the crystallized ribbons with crystallites of about 50 nm. Thermal annealing of the ribbons at 600 degree C for 2 min resulted in the formation of alpha -Fe and tetragonal Fe sub(3)B. It was concluded that pulses of electric current produced by a capacitor discharge induced transformation of the Fe sub(83)B sub(17) amorphous phase into metastable crystalline products.