Properties of yttrium-iron-metalloid glasses

We report the results of measurements on metallic glasses of the form Y₆₆(Fe_1–xM_x)₃₄. For M = B we find that there is an extended range of glass formation (0x0.40) and that properties such as atomic density, electrical resistivity, microhardness, and thermal stability are functions ofx. For M = C, Si, or Ge we find a restricted range of glass formation (0 x0.10) and no significant changes in the properties of the glasses. Using Fe⁵⁷ Mössbauer effect spectroscopy we find that the M = B case is again unique in that the structure of the glass is sensitive to B content. We relate the differences in glass formation for the M = B and M = C, Si, Ge glasses to the existence of Y rich compounds in the C, Si, and Ge cases and the lack of such compounds in the M = B case.