Influence of sub-Tg annealing on the crystallization kinetics Of Cu47Ti33Zr11Ni8Si1 metallic glass

The influence of sub-T-g preannealing on the crystallization of Cu47Ti33Zr11Ni8Si1 metallic glass powders is investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. Sub-T-g treatment induces changes in the isochronal calorimetry traces. Isothermal investigations show that transformation occurs by nucleation and growth, and there is no influence of the preannealing on the transformation kinetics in terms of the Avrami constant. Crystallization occurs by an increasing nucleation rate. A gradual but significant difference is observed in the calculated values of the activation energy. The decrease in activation energy of nanocrystallization can be explained on the basis of increased short-range ordering caused by preannealing. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.2981188]