Magnetic and Magneto-Caloric Properties of the Amorphous Fe_92-xZr₈B_x Ribbons

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Magnetism

Background:

• Amorphous magnetic materials are crucial for various technological applications.
• Understanding the influence of composition on magnetic properties is essential for material design.
• Iron-zirconium (Fe-Zr) based alloys are promising candidates for magnetic refrigeration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of boron (B) addition on the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of amorphous Fe-Zr ribbons.
• To determine the mechanism responsible for the enhanced properties.
• To optimize the composition for improved performance.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of amorphous Fe_92-xZr₈B_x ribbons with varying boron content (x=3, 4, 5).
• Characterization of magnetic properties, including Curie temperature (T_C) and saturation magnetization (M_s).
• Evaluation of magnetocaloric effect, specifically the maximum magnetic entropy change (-ΔS_max).

Main Results:

• Fully amorphous Fe₈₉Zr₈B₃, Fe₈₈Zr₈B₄, and Fe₈₇Zr₈B₅ ribbons were successfully fabricated.
• Boron addition significantly improved the Curie temperature (T_C), saturation magnetization (M_s), and maximum magnetic entropy change (-ΔS_max).
• The study explored the underlying mechanism for these enhancements.

Conclusions:

• Boron is an effective additive for enhancing the magnetic and magnetocaloric performance of amorphous Fe-Zr alloys.
• The findings provide insights into the structure-property relationships in these materials.
• Optimized Fe-Zr-B amorphous ribbons show potential for advanced magnetic applications, such as magnetic refrigeration.