Effect of nano-quasicrystals on viscosity of a Zr-based bulk metallic glass

The effect of formation of nano-quasicrystals on the creep behavior of a Zr44Ti11Cu10Ni10Be25 bulk metallic glass was studied by the indentation technique above the glass transition temperature. The apparent viscosity of the supercooled liquid–quasicrystal composite increases with increasing volume fraction of the quasicrystalline phase following a simple relationship derived previously for dilute suspensions. The formation of quasicrystalline particles is accompanied by the decrease of activation energy of creep. This was related to the increase of the Be/Ti ratio in the supercooled liquid phase.