Structural and phase evolution of Fe92Si ₆ C ₂ amorphous alloys during thermal annealing

The purpose of this study is to investigate the structural and phase evolution of Fe[Formula: see text]Si 6 C 2 amorphous alloys under thermal annealing and to understand the mechanisms that govern their crystallization behavior. To achieve this, Fe–Si–C amorphous ribbons were synthesized using the melt-spinning method and subsequently annealed at different temperatures. Their phase composition, crystallization process, and structural parameters were systematically examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis combined with Rietveld refinement. The study revealed that the as-prepared samples retained a fully amorphous structure up to 673[Formula: see text]K, with only minor nanoscale grain growth (14.4–16.2[Formula: see text]nm). A first-order phase transition and the onset of crystallization were observed at 773[Formula: see text]K, followed by significant growth of diffraction peaks and a rapid increase in grain size (409.3–427.2[Formula: see text]nm) between 773[Formula: see text]K and 973[Formula: see text]K. The structural refinement confirmed the formation and development of the Fe(Si) crystalline phase, accompanied by long-range atomic ordering and temperature-dependent variations in lattice parameters. These findings provide new insights into the crystallization mechanisms of Fe[Formula: see text]Si 6 C 2 alloys, highlighting their thermal stability and structural transformation pathways, which are crucial for tailoring their performance in technological applications.