MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF RAPIDLY QUENCHED SOFT-MAGNETIC MATERIALS

The discovery and large scale investigation of rapidly solidified allo ys have brought to light, in the last two decades, a new scenario in b asic and applied magnetism. With a range of compositions and microstru ctural states unavailable to conventional materials, the rapidly quenc hed alloys have in fact demonstrated unprecedented versatile propertie s, provided unique opportunities in applications and stirred up the do main of physical theories. In this paper we discuss the basic magnetic features of three classes of rapidly quenched soft magnetic materials : amorphous, nanocrystalline, and high Si alloys. Attention will be fo cussed on the technically relevant properties correlated with the magn etization process-coercivity, losses, permeability-and their relations hip with the structural material properties. The fundamental role of l ocal and macroscopic anisotropies in determining the overall magnetic behavior of these alloys will, be highlighted and present trends in th e predictive approach to the magnetization process and its dependence on the microstructural parameters will be discussed. Both the static a nd the dynamic magnetic behaviors will be considered and the loss depe ndence on the magnetizing frequency will be assessed against modelling . (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.