Abstract: Fe62Co8-xCrxZr6Nb4B20(x=0–4 at. pct) metallic glasses show high thermal stability with a maximum supercooled liquid region of about 84.8 K. The addition of 2 at. pct Cr causes the extension of the supercooled liquid region remarkably, leading to the enhancement of thermal stability and glass-forming ability. The crystallization of the Fe-based glassy alloys takes place through a single exothermic reaction, accompanying the precipitation of more than three kinds of crystallized phases such as α-Fe, Fe2Zr and ZrB2. The long-range atomic rearrangements required for the precipitation of the multiple crystalline phases seem to play an important role in the appearance of the large supercooled liquid region through the retardation of the crystallization reactions. The Fe-based alloys exhibit soft ferromagnetic properties. The saturation magnetization decreases with increasing Cr content while the saturated magnetostriction increases as a function of Cr content. There is no distinct change in the saturation magnetization and coercive force with annealing temperature below the crystallization temperature. The devitrification gives rise to a considerable enhancement in both δs and Hc.

Key words: Cr addition, Thermal stability, Magnetic property