Ultrastable Ni-P amorphous alloy formed via high temperature electrodeposition

Abstract

Physical vapor deposition is an effective approach to obtain ultrastable glasses. There is a general consensus that preparing stable glasses requires high substrate temperatures. Here, this idea was adopted in the electrodeposition method to prepared ultrastable amorphous alloys for the first time. Eliminating the effect of composition deviation, we demonstrate that the thermodynamic stability of the electrodeposited Ni-P amorphous alloy significantly enhanced with the increase of electrolyte temperature. In contrast to the previously reported Ni-P amorphous alloy with same composition, the ultrastable Ni-P amorphous alloys exhibits a large increment of the onset crystallization temperature (Tx) of ~ 50 K, a stronger resistance against crystallization, and a denser structure with less free volume.