Novel amorphous metals and amorphous metal articles

Abstract

Novel metal alloy compositions which are obtained in the amorphous state and are superior to such previously known alloys based on the same metals are provided; these new compositions are easily quenched to the amorphous state and possess desirable physical properties. Also disclosed is a novel article of manufacture in the form of wire of these novel amorphous metal alloys and of other compositions of the same type.

We claim: 
     
       1. A metal alloy of the formula M a  Y b  Z c  which is at least 50 percent amorphous and wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting .[.essentially.]. of iron, nickel, chromium, cobalt, or vanadium or a mixture thereof, Y is a metalloid selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, carbon and boron or a mixture thereof, and Z is an element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silicon, tin, antimony, germanium, indium, and beryllium and mixtures thereof, "a", "b" and "c" are atomic percentages ranging from about 60 to 90, 10 to 30 and 0.1 to 15 respectively with the proviso that a plus b plus c equals 100. 
     
     
       2. The amorphous metal alloy of claim 1 wherein "a," "b" and "c" range from 69 to 84.5, 15 to 25, and 0.5 to 6, respectively. .[.3. The amorphous metal alloy of claim 1 wherein up to about one-fourth of the metal M is 
     
     
        replaced by elements commonly allowed with iron or nickel..]. 4. As an article of manufacture, sheets, ribbons and powders of the amorphous metals having the compositions of claim 1. .[.5. As an article of manufacture, sheets, ribbons and powders of the amorphous metals having 
     
     
        the compositions of claim 3. 6. As an article of manufacture, a metal wire comprising an alloy which is at least 50 percent amorphous and having a composition of the formula .[.T i  X j  wherein T is a transition metal or mixture of said transition metals and X is an element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, antimony, beryllium, boron, germanium, carbon, indium, phosphorus, silicon, tin and mixtures thereof and wherein i and j are in atmoic percentages and range from about 70 to about 87 and from about 13 to about 30 respectively.]. .Iadd.M a  Y b  Z c , wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, chromium, cobalt, vanadium and mixtures thereof, with up to one fourth of the metal being replaceable with at least one or more elements commonly alloyed with iron or nickel, Y is a metalloid selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, carbon and boron and mixtures thereof, and Z is an element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silicon, tin, antimony, germanium, indium, and beryllium and mixtures thereof, "a" , "b" and "c" are in atomic percentages ranging from about 60 to 90, 10 to 30 and 0.1 to 15, respectively, with the proviso that a plus b plus c equals 100. .Iaddend. .[.7. The article of claim 6 wherein i ranges from about 74 to about 84 and j ranges from about 16 to about 26..]. .[.8. Amorphous metal wire of claim 6 wherein iron comprises 
     
     
        at least 60 atomic percent of T..]. .Iadd.9.  The amorphous metal alloy of claim 1, containing the metal (M) iron. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. The amorphous metal alloy of claim 1, containing the metal (M) nickel. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. The amorphous metal alloy of claim 1, containing the metal (M) cobalt. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. The amorphous metal alloy of claim 1, containing the element (Z) silicon. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The amorphous metal alloy of claim 1, containing the element (Z) aluminum. .Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.14.  An at least 50 percent amorphous metal alloy of the compositional formula M a  Y b  Z c  and wherein M is a metal consisting essentially of metal selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, chromium, cobalt, vanadium and mixtures thereof, Y is a metalloid selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, carbon and boron or a mixture thereof, and Z is an element selected from the group consisting of aluminum and silicon and mixtures thereof, "a", "b" and "c" are atomic percentages ranging from about 60 to 90, 10 to 30 and 0.1 to 15 respectively with the proviso that a plus b plus c equals 100. .Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.15.  As an article of manufacture, sheets, ribbons and powders of the amorphous alloy having the compositions of claim 14. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The amorphous metal alloy of claim 14, containing the metal (M) iron. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The amorphous metal alloy of claim 14, 
     
     
        containing the metal (M) cobalt. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18.  The amorphous metal alloy of claim 14, containing the metal (M) nickel. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The amorphous metal alloy of claim 14, containing the element (Z) silicon. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The amorphous metal alloy of claim 14, containing the 
     
     
        element (Z) aluminum. .Iadd.21.  An at least 50 percent amorphous metal alloy of the compositional formula M a  Y b  Z c , wherein M is a metal consisting essentially of metal selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, chromium, cobalt, vanadium and mixtures thereof, Y is a metalloid selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, carbon and boron and mixtures thereof, and Z is an element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silicon, tin, antimony, germanium, indium, beryllium and mixtures thereof, "a", "b" and "c" are atomic percentages ranging from about 60 to 90, 10 to 30 and 0.1 to 15 respectively with the proviso that a plus b plus c equals 100. .Iadd.22. An at least 50 percent amorphous metal alloy of the compositional formula M a  Y b  Z c , wherein M is a metal consisting essentially of a metal selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, chromium, cobalt, vanadium and mixtures thereof, up to about one-fourth of which may be replaced by elements commonly alloyed with iron or nickel, Y is a metalloid selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, carbon and boron and mixtures thereof, and Z is an element selected from the group consisting of aluminum and silicon and mixtures thereof, "a", "b" and "c" are atomic percentages ranging from about 60 to 90, 10 to 30 and 0.1 to 15 respectively with the proviso that a plus b plus c equals 100. .Iaddend. 
     
     
        .Iadd.23.  An at least 50 percent amorphous metal alloy of the compositional formula M a  Y b  Z c , wherein M is a metal selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, chromium, cobalt, vanadium and mixtures thereof with up to one-fourth of the metal being replaced by elements commonly alloyed with iron or nickel, Y is a metalloid selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, carbon, boron and mixtures thereof, and Z is an element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silicon, tin, antimony, germanium, indium, and beryllium and mixtures thereof, "a", "b" "c" are atomic percentages ranging from about 60 to 90, 10 to 30 and 0.1 to 15 respectively with the 
     
     
        proviso that a plus b plus c equals 100. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24.  An at least 50 percent amorphous metal alloy of the compositional formula M a  Y b  Z c , wherein M is a metal consisting of iron, nickel, chromium, cobalt, vanadium and mixtures thereof, with up to about one-fourth of the metal being replaced by at least one element selected from the group consisting of Cu, Hf, Mn, Nb, Ti, W and Zr, Y is a metalloid selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, carbon and boron or a mixture thereof, and Z is an element selected from the group consisting of aluminum, silicon, tin, antimomy, germanium, indium, and beryllium and mixtures thereof, "a", "b" and "c" are atomic percentages ranging from about 60 to 90, 10 to 30 and 0.1 to 15 respectively with the 
     
     
        proviso that a plus b plus c equals 100. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25.  The amorphous metal alloy of claim 21 wherein "a", "b" and "c" range from 69 to 84.5, 15 to 25, and 0.5 to 6, respectively. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. As an article of manufacture, sheet, ribbon and powder of amorphous alloys having the compositions of claim 21. .Iaddend.