Viscosity measurements for Fe-Ni-B and Fe-Ni-Al-B liquid alloys by an oscillating crucible method

The viscosity of (Fe1-xNix)(83)B-17 (X = 0, 0.25, 0.5,0.75 and 1.0 atomic fractions) and (Fe0.25Ni0.75)(78)AL(5)B(17) liquid alloys has been measured by an oscillating crucible method in the temperature range from melting temperature (T-m) up to about 1400 degreesC. In the (Fe1-xNix)(83)B-17 liquid alloys, the viscosity decreased with increasing Ni content up to about X = 0.5 and then increased to a maximum value at X = 0.75. The activation energy for viscous flow decreased to the minimum value of about 37 KJ/mol at X = 0.75. This composition is well consistent with those of the Fe-Ni-B alloys having a large glass-forming ability. When Al is added in the (Fe0.25Ni0.75)(83)B-17 alloy, the liquid viscosity further increased while the activation energy for viscous flow decreased to about 33 kJ/mol. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.