Difference in microstructure of Zr41Ti14Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 glasses prepared in a 52 m drop tube and by water quenching

A 52 m drop tube has been used to solidify bulk-glass-forming Zr41Ti14Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 alloy. Glassy balls with different sizes solidified from the droplets whose structural features, glass-transition behaviour and crystallization kinetics have been investigated. The results indicate that the apparent activation energies of the glass transition and main crystallization reaction are significantly different from those of samples prepared by water quenching. The structural difference between the two types of glassy specimen is revealed by compression studies and in situ energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction. The results are important for understanding the structural features of bulk-forming glasses.