Glass-forming ability of the Ni-Zr and Ni-Ti systems determined by interatomic potentials

Employing the n-body potentials of the Ni-Zr and Ni-Ti systems, we performed molecular dynamics simulation to study the relative stability of the terminal solid solutions versus the corresponding amorphous states as a function of solute concentrations. The terminal solid solutions transformed into amorphous states spontaneously when the solute concentrations were beyond the maximum allowable values; i.e., the critical solubilities were determined to be 14 at.% Zr in Ni and 25 at.% Ni in Zr for Ni-Zr system and 38 at.% Ti in Ni and 15 at.% Ni in Ti for the Ni-Ti system. The physical implication of the critical concentrations, as well as their correlation with the glass-forming abilities of the Ni-Zr and Ni-Ti systems, is discussed.