EN
Glass-forming ability (GFA) and thermal stability of Fe62Nb8B30, Fe62Nb6Zr2B30 and Fe72Zr8B20 at % amorphous alloys were investigated by calorimetric (DSC and DTA) measurements. The crystallization kinetics was studied by DSC in the mode of continuous versus linear heating and it was found that both the glass transition temperature, Tg, and the crystallization peak temperature, Tp, display strong dependence on the heating rate. The partial replacement of Nb by Zr leads to lower Tg and Tx temperatures and causes a decrease of the supercooled liquid region. JMA analysis of isothermal transformation data measured between Tg and Tx suggests that the crystallization of the Fe62Nb8B30 and Fe62Nb6Zr2B30 amorphous alloys take place by three-dimensional growth with constant nucleation rate. Nb enhances the precipitation of the metastable Fe23B6 phase and stabilizes it up to the third crystallization stage. Zr addition increases the lattice constant of Fe23B6 and, at the same time, decreases the grain size.