STRUCTURE AND THERMAL-STABILITY OF ND-NI-B AMORPHOUS-ALLOYS

The glass-forming range, crystallization behaviour and atomistic structures of Nd-Ni-B amorphous alloys have been studied. In the Ni-rich region (greater than or equal to 40 at. % Ni), a single amorphous phase can be produced by melt-spinning when the neodymium content is less than the boron content. The crystallization temperatures show definite maxima against neodymium content at similar to 10 at. % Nd regardless of the nickel or boron content. By analyzing the radial distribution functions G(r)'s obtained by X-ray diffraction, partial pair correlations have been identified and pair distances determined. The Nd-Ni-B amorphous alloys, like the Nd-Fe-B system, appear to have a trigonal prism as a structural unit.