DEFORMATION-ENHANCED THERMAL-STABILITY OF AN AMORPHOUS FE80B20 ALLOY

By means of differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) measurements, the thermal stability of an amorphous Fe80B20 alloy after various periods of low-energy ball milling has been studied. The results indicate that the thermal stability of the amorphous Fe80B20 ribbons can be enhance d upon mechanical deformation with a low milling intensity. The crysta llization temperature T-p, the crystallization enthalpy Delta H, and t he crystallization activation energy E(x) increase with milling time. The above observations will be compared with our previous findings tha t extensive mechanical deformation with a high milling intensity can o therwise induce a structural relaxation in an amorphous Fe80B20 alloy. Based on conventional thermodynamic and kinetic arguments, a reasonab le interpretation will be made to explain the enhanced thermal stabili ty of the amorphous Fe80B20 alloy after mechanical deformation. (C) 19 96 American Institute of Physics.