Nucleation and growth of crystalline phases in FeBZrMoTiTa glass forming melt during superheating

Development of multicomponent Fe-B-based bulk glass is very important for industrial applications requiring the best mechanical properties. To improve the glass forming ability (GFA) of Fe-B based alloys, Mo, Zr, Ti and Ta have been added. During the melting of different alloying elements of FeBMoZrTiTa alloy, a growth of crystalline phases in the melt was observed mainly when it was superheated for homogenization. The melt was then separated into homogenous and inhomogeneous parts. They were injected into two ingots which microstructures were studied by scanning electron microscopy and X ray diffraction. Microstructure of the inhomogeneous melt ingot contains additional Zr phases that are characterized as Fe3Zr, Zr alpha and ZrB2. Some other unknown crystalline phases can likely exist within the characterized crystalline phases. Thin specimens from outer areas of the two ingots show glassy state only for the inhomogeneous melt ingot