Synthesis and characterisation of amorphous Fe75Zr25 obtained by ball milling

In this work we report the preparation of amorphous Fe75Zr25 by ball millin g from elemental components. For this concentration, not accessible with ot her techniques, Curie temperature (T-c) is near the maximum for this binary system. Amorphisation process was followed by X-ray diffraction. Magnetic moment, coercivity and Curie temperature have been measured in a SQUID magn etometer. Mossbauer spectroscopy has been used to determine the fraction of the amorphous phase, and as an alternative way to measure Curie temperatur e. After 85 h of milling two phases are present: Fe-Zr amorphous alloy and an excess of nanosized crystalline Fe. T-c = 245 +/- 5 K is estimated for t his sample, which is consistent with an amorphous composition Fe(70)oZr(30) deduced from the Mossbauer spectra. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) wa s used to characterise the crystallisation process. Crystalisation products were identified as alpha-Fe and intermetallic Fe3Zr. (C) 1999 Elsevier Sci ence B.V. All rights reserved.