Metallic Glass Surface Layers of Fe 80 P 13 C 7 Alloy by Rapid Quenching

The paper describes an investigation of electron beam rapidly quenched surface layers of Fe₈₀P₁₃C₇ alloy, the aim of which was to produce a thin metallic layer at the surface of the crystalline alloy by varying the process parameters. The treated surface layers have been examined by optical, transmission electron, and scanning electron microscopy. The microhardness of the quenched layers is compared with that of melt spun amorphous Fe₈₀P₁₃C₇ ribbons and other published microhardness values of the same amorphous alloy. The microhardness is also discussed in terms of its relation to the tensile strength. Surface roughness of the treated layers has been investigated and the effect of the variation of traverse speed on the surface roughness is discussed. The use of overlapping. passes and their effect on the amorphous nature of the material is also discussed.