Physical properties of some iron based alloys in liquid and amorphous states

The atomic structure and the physical properties of amorphous ribbons depen d strongly on the state of the melt before quench. It is known that slightl y above liquidus metallic melts can preserve a non-equilibrium metastable s tate for a long time. Moreover some structural transformations in liquid me tallic alloys, similar to phase transitions in solids, may take place with an increase of the temperature. In this paper we report measurements of the viscosity, magnetic susceptibility and surface tension in some Fe-based me lts. Amorphous ribbons of the same alloys were prepared by standard planar method from different states of the melt. The electrical resistivity, the k inetics of crystallization and the magnetic properties of the ribbons were investigated. It was found that the properties depending upon nanoscale inh omogeneities are different for ribbons produced after different heat treatm ents of the melt before quench. (C) 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers.