Synthesis route-dependent formation of quasicrystals in Zr70Pd30 and Zr70Pd20Cu10 amorphous alloys

Abstract

The devitrification of mechanically milled amorphous Zr70Pd30 and Zr70Pd20Cu10 powders occurs via a single-step, first-order transformation to a stable Zr2Pd tetragonal structure. This is in sharp contrast to the devitrification of the same amorphous alloys prepared by melt spinning, in which a primary metastable quasicrystalline phase forms. Since the mechanical milling process does not involve direct liquid phase formation of an amorphous structure, it is inferred that the short-range order in the solid state derived amorphous powder is different from that in the melt spun ribbon.