Glass-transition process in an Au-based metallic glass

• Glass-transition phenomenon by using a step-scan calorimetry.
• The existence of two distinct slopes within the glass-transition region.
• This phenomenon is related to diffusion coefficients of alloying elements.
• Structural relaxation of the glassy phase shows a complex behavior.

In the present paper, the glass-transition phenomenon in an Au-based metallic glass has been studied using a step-scan calorimetry measurement. The existence of two distinct slopes within the glass-transition region one starting at low temperature (about 340 K) and the other at higher temperature (about 380 K) likely indicates two glass-transition processes. This phenomenon is rather related to different diffusion coefficients of the alloying elements in this complex alloy in solid state. Structural relaxation of the glassy phase before reaching the glass-transition region also shows a complex behavior.