The Effects of Sc Alloying in Y56Al24Ni10Co10 Glasses on the Local Atomic Structure

Using neutron diffraction and the pair density function analysis, the effect of Sc alloying for Y on the local atomic structure of Y56-x Al24Ni10Co10 was investigated. The replacement of Y with Sc significantly changes the local atomic structure of amorphous Y56-x Al24Ni10Co10 as it promotes the formation of nanocrystalline particles. By comparing the structure function in reciprocal space of three alloys with x = 0, 0.1, and 0.2 (in atomic percent), small Bragg peaks are observed that increase in intensity proportionate with the amount of Sc. In real space, the substitution of Sc for Y leads to a drastic structural contraction most likely resulting from efficient cluster packing. DOI: 10.1007/s11661-013-1685-z (C) The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International 2013