Effects of Cu content on crystallization behavior, mechanical and soft magnetic properties of Fe80-xCuxP13C7 bulk metallic glasses

Abstract Bulk Fe80-xCuxP13C7 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.3 and 0.6 at.%) amorphous alloys were successfully fabricated utilizing the combining fluxing treatment and J-quenching technique. The influence of Cu content on the crystallization characteristic temperatures and primary crystallization phase evolution, glass formation ability, mechanical and soft magnetic properties of Fe-Cu-C-P BMGs have been systematically investigated. Additionally, the proper addition of Cu content can significantly improve the compression plasticity of present Fe-Cu-C-P bulk glassy alloys, and the Fe79.4Cu0.6P13C7 bulk glassy rod exhibits an excellent plasticity of 5% as well as a high fracture strength (over 2700 MPa). Then, the multiple effects of annealed Fe80-xCuxP13C7 BMGs on mechanical properties and soft magnetic property have been investigated. More importantly, Fe79.4Cu0.6P13C7 BMG annealed at Tg-30 K for half an hour exhibits excellent soft magnetic properties with relatively high saturation magnetization of 1.5 T, and mechanical properties with the fracture strength of 3280 MPa and plastic strain of 4%.