On determination of volume fraction of crystalline phase in partially crystallized amorphous and nanocrystalline materials

The method for determination of volume fraction of crystalline phase in amo rphous-crystalline materials is proposed. The method is based on the analys is of X-ray patterns obtained under study of structure-phase changes in nan ocrystalline Finemet- type alloys. Verification of the method was carried o ut with the use of X-ray diffraction data (including small-angle X-ray scat tering) of specimens in as-quenched amorphous state as well as after anneal ing at various temperatures, which provided formation and growth of crystal s in amorphous matrix with sizes in a range from 2 to 15 nm. The method is the most effective under nanocrystals' size exceeding 5-6 nm, when their fu rther increase does not affect the height and width of diffraction reflexes . (C) 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers.