The e/ a factor governing the formation and stability of (Zr 76Ni 24) 1− xAl x bulk metallic glasses

Abstract

In the present paper (Zr 76Ni 24) 1− x Al x alloys were prepared to investigate the influence of e/ a, electron number per atom, on their glass-forming abilities. The bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) obtained in this alloy series have an e/ a span from 1.37 to 1.53. Their thermal stability increases with the e/ a ratios. The largest thermal stability is found at Zr 60Al 21Ni 19 with the highest possible e/ a=1.53. These BMGs manifest negative temperature coefficients of resistivity and a nearly linear T-dependence of resistivity within the temperature span 80–293 K. The validity of the Nagel–Tauc conjecture, 2 k f≈ k p for the stabilities of these BMGs is discussed. The e/ a-based rule is a promising way to locate glass-forming compositions in the Zr-based multi-component alloy systems.