Thermo-mechanical study of bulk glass forming Zr-Cu-Ni-Al alloys

The thermal stability and viscous flow behavior of bulk glass forming Zr(68)Cu(13)Ni(11.5)A(17.5) and Zr69Cu12.5Ni11Al7.5 alloys are studied. The viscosity experimental results are interpreted based on the free volume model (FVM). The values of the obtained model parameters are used to estimate the glass forming ability (GFA) in terms of Angell parameter, and the fracture strength of the alloys based on its correlation with the glass transition temperature (T-g). The viscosity data are compared with DSC measurements. The two glasses, having similar composition, revealed comparable T-g, but one of them (Zr68Cu13Ni11.5Al7.5) showed substantially lower crystallization temperature due to quasicrystals formation. Higher GFA was obtained for Zr69Cu12.5Ni11Al7.5 alloy. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.