Deformation induced primary crystallization in a thermally non-primary crystallizing amorphous Al85Ce8Ni5Co2 alloy

Nanocrystallization behavior of Al85Ce8Ni5Co2 amorphous ribbon induced by severe plastic deformation and by linear heating thermal treatment has been compared using differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Thermal treatment of the as-quenched ribbon results in the joint formation of several crystalline phases, whereas plastic deformation at room temperature induces only primary precipitation of α-Al nanocrystals. This is evidence for the athermal nature of the deformation induced crystallization process.