UNDERCOOLING AND FORMATION OF BULK METALLIC-GLASS OF PD-NI-P IN A CONTAINERLESS ENVIRONMENT

Undercooling experiments on Pd40Ni40P20 alloy were performed in a laboratory-scale drop tube. The effect of cooling rates on nucleation and crystal growth of the alloy was studied by changing the inert gases in the tube and the critical cooling rate for glass formation in the tube was determined. In addition, the results indicate that the superheat of the drop before it dropped down is closely related to nucleation and crystal growth of the alloy.