Amorphous metals driving materials and process innovations

Amorphous metals serve as materials in a wide range of applications. This survey covers amorphous materials applied as such in ribbon, wire, bull; or other forms, and nanocrystalline materials for which the amorphous state is a precursor. The essential properties achievable by going to or through the amorphous state are reviewed briefly. Process innovations such as ribbon, flake and wire casting methods are outlined which had to be developed concomitantly with the development of amorphous materials and have been established meanwhile as viable processing routes. Then the technical materials and products in their wide variety are listed and characterised to indicate the broad impact which the evolution of this class of materials has made since the RQ conference series has begun almost 30 years ago. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.