Magnetic Properties and Structure of FeSi and FeSiNb Alloys

The aim of this article was to investigate the structural and magnetic properties of FeSi alloys and FeSi alloys doped with Nb. The structure was studied using X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The results from both techniques were complementary. X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the amorphous nature of the samples under investigation. Mössbauer spectroscopy analysis revealed the amorphous nature of the samples. For the tapes prepared from the investigated alloys, i.e., Fe88.54Si11.46, Fe89.54Si10.46, Fe78.56Si17.33Nb3.17Cu0.94, and Fe89.12Si10.88, the isomeric shift (IS) values are -0.0121, -0.0128, 0.0079, and -0.0107 mm/s, the quadrupole splitting (QS) values are -0.0188, -0.016, -0.0215, and -0.0157 mm/s, whilst the hyperfine magnetic field (Bhf) values are 24.4651, 24.4977, 20.2691, and 24.5334 T, respectively. Static hysteresis loops were collected using a Lakeshore VSM 7307 vibrating sample magnetometer. The magnetometery results confirm the magnetically soft nature of these alloys.