THERMODYNAMIC AND KINETIC ASPECTS OF THE CRYSTAL TO GLASS TRANSFORMATION IN METALLIC MATERIALS

This article systematically surveys and reviews the subject of crystal-to-glass transformations in metallic crystals, subjected to various types of disordering processes. The variety of circumstances under which such transformations have been observed raises the need for a unifying conceptual basis for understanding why crystalline solids become unstable with respect to vitrification. Using basic principles of thermodynamics and kinetics. It is possible to formulate the problem of amorphization in the language of the theory of melting. A study of the fundamental thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of this problem leads to the general notion of an ultimate limit of stability of a crystalline solid with respect to various types of disorder. Increasing a particular type of disorder in a crystal leads first to metastability and finally to instability. An attempt is made to develop a basis for understanding the onset of such instability as driven by various types of disordering processes. It is shown that a wide variety of observations can be understood using a relatively small number of simple concepts. Finally, the article points out some common features which underlie the formation of amorphous phases during the evolution of nonequilibrium systems.