Atomic-scale heterogeneity of a multicomponent bulk metallic glass with excellent glass forming ability.
We report the atomic structure of a multicomponent Cu45Zr45Ag10 bulk metallic glass investigated by state-of-the-art experimental and computational techniques. In comparison with a binary Cu50Zr50 metallic glass, Zr-rich interpenetrating clusters centered by paired and stringed Ag atoms and Cu-rich icosahedra are widely observed in the ternary Cu45Zr45Ag10 alloy. The atomic-scale heterogeneity caused by chemical short- and medium-range order is found to play a key role in stabilizing the liquid phase and in improving the glass forming ability of the multicomponent alloy.
WPI Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan.
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T
Fujita
K
K
Konno
W
W
Zhang
V
V
Kumar
M
M
Matsuura
A
A
Inoue
T
T
Sakurai
M W
MW
Chen