Metastable nanocrystallization behavior of Ti-based metallic glassy powders during post-heating

The crystallization behavior of Ti-based metallic glassy powders was systematically investigated. The results show a novel metastable nanocrystallization process, i.e. the glassy powders exhibit multi-step phase transition behavior. For the first exothermic event, the entire glassy phase crystallized into metastable nanocrystals, then a face-centered cubic structured Ni2SnZr and a monoclinic structured TiNi0.8Cu0.2 phases formed by a solid state transition (the second exothermic event). These crystallizations are believed to be driven by the synergetic effect of thermodynamics and kinetics.