Fe-based amorphous alloy ribbons play an important role in many modern applications, because of their unique disordered atomic structure and excellent soft magnetic properties.
Meaning of Fe-Based Amorphous Alloy Ribbon
Fe-based amorphous alloy ribbon/strip is a thin alloy material with iron as the base element and an amorphous (atomically disordered) structure, typically manufactured by rapid quenching. Its internal atoms are arranged in a disordered manner, lacking the lattice structure of conventional crystalline materials. As a result, it exhibits high saturation magnetic flux density, high permeability, low high-frequency core loss, high hardness, and good corrosion resistance.
Advantages of Fe-Based Amorphous Alloy Ribbon
| Low core loss: Its iron loss is extremely low, only 1/3 to 1/5 that of conventional cold-rolled silicon steel sheets, offering significant energy-saving benefits. It is an ideal material for manufacturing energy-efficient transformers (such as distribution transformers).
| High saturation magnetic flux density: It has relatively high saturation magnetic induction, high permeability, and excellent magnetic performance, making it suitable for high-power, high-flux-density applications.
| High hardness and strength: It exhibits high hardness and high tensile strength, but the material is relatively brittle and prone to stress during processing, requiring high machining precision.
| Temperature stability: Its magnetic properties remain stable within a certain temperature range (e.g., low to medium temperatures). However, when the temperature becomes too high (reaching the crystallization temperature, approximately 515°C), the material begins to crystallize, leading to a deterioration in magnetic performance.
Comparison Between Fe-Based Amorphous Alloy and Cold-Rolled Silicon Steel
| Performance Indicator | Fe-Based Amorphous Alloy | Silicon Steel |
| Saturation magnetic flux density (T) | 1.56 | 2.03 |
| Coercivity (A/m) | <4 | <30 |
| Maximum permeability | >25×10⁴ | >4×10⁴ |
| Core loss (W/kg) | 50 Hz, 1.3 T, P<0.2 | 50 Hz, 1.7 T, P=1.2 |
| Excitation power (VA/kg) | 50 Hz, 1.3 T, P<0.5 | 50 Hz, 1.7 T, P=0.83 |
| Lamination factor | 0.84 | 0.95 |
| Magnetostriction (×10⁻⁶) | 27 | — |
| Electrical resistivity (μΩ·cm) | 130 | 45 |
| Density (g/cm³) | 7.18 | 7.65 |
| Crystallization temperature (°C) | 535 | — |
| Tensile strength (MPa) | 1500 | 343 |
| Vickers hardness (Hv) | 900 | 181 |
| Thickness (μm) | 30 | 300 |
Product Specifications of Fe-Based Amorphous Alloy Ribbon
| Strip Width (mm) | Strip Thickness (μm) | Production Method |
| 5±0.05 | 30±5 | As-spun ribbon / Roll-slit ribbon |
| 8±0.05 | 30±5 | As-spun ribbon / Roll-slit ribbon |
| 10±0.05 | 30±5 | As-spun ribbon / Roll-slit ribbon |
| 15±0.05 | 30±5 | Roll-slit ribbon |
| 20±0.1 | 30±5 | Roll-slit ribbon |
| 25±0.1 | 30±5 | Roll-slit ribbon |
| 30±0.1 | 30±5 | Roll-slit ribbon |
| 40±0.1 | 30±5 | Roll-slit ribbon |
| 50±0.1 | 30±5 | Roll-slit ribbon |
| 64±1 | 30±5 | As-spun ribbon |
| 100±1 | 30±5 | As-spun ribbon |
Applications of Fe-Based Amorphous Alloy Ribbon
| Distribution transformer cores: Transformer cores made from amorphous alloy ribbon have no-load losses that are 70%–80% lower than those of traditional silicon steel transformers, delivering remarkable energy savings. They are widely used in power grids and data centers where high energy efficiency is required.
| Switching power supplies: Fe-based amorphous ribbon has low core loss and good high-frequency characteristics, effectively reducing temperature rise and improving conversion efficiency. It is commonly used in small-to-medium power (1–10 kW) switching power supplies.
| Amorphous motor cores: Used in the manufacture of cores for industrial energy-saving motors (e.g., fans and pump motors), they can significantly reduce motor core loss, enhance power density and efficiency, and meet the design requirements for high-speed and high-frequency electric drive systems.
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Image Source: Catechcore & Lamistacks & Maddox & Mdpi & Nature
