A model for the fragility of metallic glass forming liquids

Abstract

An expression for the temperature dependence of the viscosity and fragility is derived based on a simple model of the melt. According to the model, the fragility is determined by the relaxation of structural units that form the melt, and is described in terms of the bond strength, coordination number, and their fluctuations of the structural units. It is shown that the fragility of some metallic glass forming liquids such as Pd40Ni40P 20, La55Al25Ni20 and Zr 65Al10Ni10Cu15 are quite well reproduced by the model. The application of the theory to La55Ab 25Ni20 has revealed that the fluctuation in the bond strength between the structural units is about 6% and that the viscous flow occurs when the bonds in about 8 adjoining structural units are broken. © 2007 The Japan Institute of Metals.