SANS study of nanocrystalline Fe3Si particles in amorphous FeSiBCuNb matrix

In the present study we analyse partially crystallised samples with 2-30 vo l% of Fe2Si particles. Amorphous Fe73.5Si15.5B7Cu1Nb3 alloys were prepared by rapid quenching. By 450 degrees C annealing temperature the volume fract ion, c, of Fe3Si precipitates increases with the annealing time (6h: c simi lar to 0.16, 8h: c similar to 0.25, 10h: c > 0.25). Our results demonstrate that the maximum of SANS curves must be considered as an intrinsic propert y of the isolated nanocrystalline precipitates. The analysis of both the ma gnetic and the nuclear scattering contributions shows that the Fe,Si partic les are surrounded by a diffusion zone of about 3-4 nm thickness giving ris e to interferences of this zone with the core of the particles. (C) 2000 El sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.