Spinodal decomposition in Pd41.25Ni41.25P17.5 bulk metallic glasses

• Pd41.25Ni41.25P17.5 alloy has a negative heat of mixing.
• Amorphous phase separation in Pd41.25Ni41.25P17.5 BMGs
• Small angle X-ray scattering
• Interference peak at small q range
• Porod law at large q range to confirm amorphous spinodal decomposition

Pd41.25Ni41.25P17.5 bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) undergo phase separation despite the fact that the alloy system has a negative heat of mixing. By employing the techniques of small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), it was found that the phase separation is consistent with a spinodal mechanism. Its occurrence is attributed to unique short-range orders in the amorphous (or liquid) state of the BMGs.