MOSSBAUER ANALYSIS OF THE PHASE DISTRIBUTION OF FE64.5CO18B16SIC0.5 SOFT-MAGNETIC SAMPLES IN POWDER FORM

We report on data, obtained from the analysis of Mossbauer spectra, on the phase distribution present in FeCoBSiC samples which were prepare d by milling a melt spun amorphous precursor in a high energy ball mil l. The milling process reduced the material to a powdered form, induce d the precipitation of FeCo and Fe3C crystallites and resulted in rela tively high coercive force values. In contrast with this, short time t hermal treatments, carried out in the as-milled samples at temperature s in the range from 575 up to 650 K, produced a very remarkable soften ing which, according to our phase distribution results, should be asso ciated to the partial dissolution of a certain percentage of the atoms involved in the grain boundary structures. This resulted in improved coupling between the crystalline and amorphous phases forming the samp le and consequently, in an easier displacement of the domain walls. (C ) 1997 American Institute of Physics.