Nanostructure controlling in Zr-based metallic glasses using icosahedral local structure

Glass-nano(quasi)crystal composite materials based on Zr-Al-Ni-Cu metallic glasses have been synthesized by controlling the nucleation and growth rates of the precipitated phase correlated with a unique icosahedral local structure. It is well known that the Zr65Al7.5Ni10Cu17.5 metallic glass has a high glass-forming ability (GFA), which enables us to produce the glassy sample with a bulky shape. Controlling a substitution of QC-forming elements such as noble metals with Cu and annealing condition, the nanoscale icosahedral quasicrystalline phase (I-phase) with various grain sizes and nucleus densities can be formed. Moreover, we have succeeded to control the nano-QC phase nucleation by changing the atmosphere pressure during casting, which results in the formation of new bulk metallic glasses (BMGs). These nanoscale structure and nucleation controlling techniques in BMGs bring a significant improvement of mechanical properties such as high strength and good ductility. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.