Decomposition in Pd40Ni40P20 bulk metallic glass

An atom probe field ion microscope and 3-dimensional atom probe characterization of the solute distribution in a bulk Pd40Ni40P20 metallic glass in the as-cast state and after annealing has been performed. Statistical analysis of the atom probe atom-by-atom data detected the presence of short range ordering in the as-cast alloy. Phase separation at the nanometer level is observed in glassy samples after annealing above the glass-transition temperature. Crystallization proceeds by phase separation into three distinct crystalline phases. Atom probe analysis of the alloy annealed for 1 h at 410 degrees C revealed that the primary nickel phosphide phase contained significant levels of palladium, the palladium-rich Pd3P phosphide phase contained low levels of nickel and there was a small amount of a palladium-nickel solid solution.