Invar and Elinvar type amorphous Fe-Cr-B alloys with high corrosion resistance

Amorphous (Fe(1-x)Cr(x))85B15 alloys (x = 0 to 0.15) were prepared from the melts by rapid quenching using a single roller techinque, and their Invar and Elinvar characteristics and corrosion resistance were investigated. With an increase in chromium content the Curie temperature and the saturation magnetic moment per iron atom decreased monotonically, while the crystallization temperature incresed gradually. The thermal expansion coefficient alpha around room temperature became slightly larger with increasing chromium content. Nevertheless, these amorphous alloys exhibited excellent Invar characteristics below the Curie temperature. The value of Young's modulus increased remarkably in a relatively low magnetic field and then saturated at a field of about 80 kA/m, showing a large delta E effect. Its value as well as a longitudinal linear magnetostriction became smaller with an increase in chromium content. The temperature coefficient of Young's modulus changed from postive to negative, and the temperature range showing the Elinvar characteristics became narrower with chromium content. The temperature coefficient of delay time determined from the values of alpha and e was very small. The corrosion resistance of these alloys was extremely improved by chromium addition.