Relationship between the enthalpies of structural relaxation, crystallization and melting in metallic glass-forming systems

A calorimetric study of structural relaxation, crystallization and melting of eleven metallic glass-forming systems is performed. It is found that the total heat release upon structural relaxation and crystallization approximately equals the heat absorption during melting, in line with a general thermodynamic consideration. A physical interpretation of this fact is presented. (C) 2019 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.