Structure and magnetic properties of Y₆₀Fe₃₀Al₁₀ melt-spun ribbons

The structural and magnetic properties of Y₆₀Fe₃₀Al₁₀ melt-spun ribbons have been studied in this work. Fully amorphous alloys were obtained after melt-spinning at higher speeds (>15 m/s). Ribbons melt-spun at lower speeds consisted of a mixture of amorphous and crystalline yttrium. The yttrium crystallites in the ribbon melt-spun at 5 m/s possessed a strong crystallographic texture. The crystallization of the amorphous phase led to the formation of a mixture of crystalline yttrium and a ternary Y-Fe-Al phase. By Moessbauer study, the quadrupole splitting and isomer shift of the amorphous phase increased with decreasing melt-spinning speed, indicating a possible change in microstructure. The magnetization curves of Y₆₀Fe₃₀Al₁₀ ribbons could be described with super-paramagnetism, suggesting that iron-rich clusters might be present in the amorphous phase.