Crystallization behavior and structural stability of Zr50Cu 40Al10 bulk metallic glass

Abstract

We have investigated the origin of significantly high thermal stability of Zr50Cu40Al10 metallic glass and its crystallization behavior as compared to Zr70Cu20Al 10 and Zr70Cu30 glassy alloys, by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS) techniques. It was found from XRD and DSC analyses that (i) constituent atoms in Zr50Cu40Al10 are highly close-packed in a glassy state and (ii) Zr50Cu40Al 10 glass shows a complicated crystallization process when it is heated at conventional heating rates, but when it is rapidly heated, the ordered B2-type ZrCu is dominantly formed. The high thermal stability and its crystallization behavior are discussed in terms of the long-range-diffusion of atoms and elastic strain energy. © 2009 The Japan Institute of Metals.