Effect of TiC on amorphous forming ability, microstructure, and thermal stability of Fe₅₅Nb₁₅Ti₁₅Ta₁₅ alloys

Due to the low amorphous forming ability and the poor room temperature plasticity, the engineering applications of Fe-based amorphous alloys were greatly limited. Based on the design concept of “near mixing enthalpy with effective atomic size difference”, the Fe₅₅Nb₁₅Ti₁₅Ta₁₅ metal component powders were designed, and the amorphous alloy powders were successfully prepared by mechanical alloying. The effects of TiC ceramic powders doped during the mechanical alloying on the amorphous forming ability, microstructure, and thermal stability of the Fe₅₅Nb₁₅Ti₁₅Ta₁₅ alloy powders were studied. The results show that, the Fe₅₅Nb₁₅Ti₁₅Ta₁₅ alloy powders have the good amorphous forming ability and thermal stability, the TiC ceramic powders are uniformly and stably distributed in the Fe₅₅Nb₁₅Ti₁₅Ta₁₅ amorphous alloy powders. The addition of 15% TiC ceramic powders (mass fraction) delays the alloying and amorphization process of Fe₅₅Nb₁₅Ti₁₅Ta₁₅ alloy powders during ball milling, reduces the thermal stability, and makes the particle size of powders smaller and the distribution range wider after ball milling. This process can produce the large bulk Fe-based amorphous alloy powders with the high room temperature plasticity.