Six La-based La-Al-Ni-Cu-(Co) alloys were subjected to a systematical study of glass formation by Bridgman unidirectional solidification at growth velocities between 0.1 and 4.82 mm/s at a temperature gradient of 15 K/mm. With increased Cu content the critical growth velocity for glass formation in La55Al25Cu20-xNix (x=0-20) alloys shows a steep minimum at 10 at.% Cu, indicating the largest glass forming ability for the La55Al25Ni10Cu10 alloy. However, replacement of Ni by Co leads to a further decrease in the critical cooling rate for the La55Al25Ni5Cu10Co5 alloy. Critical cooling rates for glass formation in the present alloys were also obtained through a study of their melting and solidification behaviors by thermal analytical measurement. The e.ect of alloying addition and the significance of reduced glass transition temperature for the glass forming ability of these alloys is discussed. c1999 Acta Metallurgica Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

In this letter, a physical concept of binary eutectic clusters in “ideal” glass-forming liquids is proposed based on the characteristics of most well-known bulk metallic glasses (BMGs). The authors approach also includes the treatment of binary eutectic clusters as basic units, which leads to the development of a simple but reliable method for designing BMGs more efficiently and effectively in these unique glass-forming liquids. As an example, bulk glass formers with superior glass-forming ability in the Zr–Ni–Cu–Al and Zr–Fe–Cu–Al systems were identified with the use of the strategy. © 2006 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.2336597]

The authors report complementary use of high-energy x-ray and neutron diffraction to probe the local atomic structure in a Zr-based bulk metallic glass. By analyzing the partial coordination numbers, the authors demonstrate the presence of multiple types of solute-centered clusters in the multicomponent glass and efficient packing of the amorphous structure at atomic scale. The authors’ findings provide a basis for understanding how local structures change during phase transformation and mechanical deformation of multicomponent amorphous alloys. © 2007 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.2742315]

Glass transition and crystallization behavior of Mg75Ni10Nd15 metallic glass has been studied by a temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimeter (TMDSC) and a normal differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The truly vitreous state of the as-spun Mg75Ni10Nd15 alloy was confirmed by the direct observation of the glass transition through TMDSC measurements, which was not perceptible in the normal DSC heating scans. It was concluded that the glass transition signal was concealed by the relatively strong concurrent signal of the primary crystallization. This was further confirmed by the fact that the glass transition was revealed by both TMDSC and DSC for the samples with negligible heat release from the primary crystallization.

In this study, we discovered that a small addition of Y is very effective in improving glass-forming ability of Fe-based alloys. As-cast bulk amorphous alloys containing 2 at.% Y showed large thermal stability, with glass transition temperatures above 900 K and supercooled liquid regions above 55 K, and high strength, with Vickers hardnesses larger than HV 1200. The beneficial effect of Y on glass formation is twofold: (1)Y adjusted the compositions closer to the eutectic and thus lowered their liquidus temperatures, and (2) Y improved the manufacturability of these alloys by scavenging the oxygen impurity from it via the formation of innocuous yttrium oxides.