Effect of annealing treatment on soft magnetic properties of Fe–6.5 wt% Si wide ribbons

The 25 mm wide ribbons of Fe–6.5 wt% Si alloy have been developed by melt spinning technique, showing sufficient ductility and white silver appearance. Two magnetic transitions take place at 676 and 760 °C due to the formation of B2 ordered phase and A2 disordered paramagnetic phase, respectively. The saturation magnetization of the ribbon is 17.5 kG under the applied field of 12 kG. The as-cast ribbons consist of disordered A2 structure with a low volume of B2 phases while the annealed microstructure comprises a dispersion of B2 domains in the disordered A2 matrix. The alloy shows the enhancement of the soft magnetic properties with a reduction in coercivity from 150 A/m in the as-cast state to 45 A/m in the annealed condition at 850 °C.