Calculations of potential functions and thermophysical behaviors for La62Al14Ni12Cu12 and Cu46Zr44Al7Y3 bulk metallic glasses

Abstract

Bulk metallic glasses La62Al14Ni12Cu12 and Cu46Zr44Al7Y3 were prepared by copper mold suction casting. The thermal-physical behaviors of bulk metallic glasses were investigated by means of x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, ultrasonic techniques, and dilatometry. By calculating the Mie potential function from experimental data, the values of potential function powers (m and n) and related physical parameters such as the mean binding energy, etc., are obtained. Thus, unlike what some people have done by assuming values of m−n (7–14), the values of average nearest-neighbor separation r0 and effective depth of pair potential ϕ0 can be obtained from calculated values of m and n from Mie potential functions and they agree very well with the results in the literature. The calculations can be well consistent with the thermophysical behaviors by comparing the two amorphous alloys. In addition, it was enhanced that the effective depth of pair potential correlated with the glass-forming ability of bulk metallic glass.