Revisiting the Cu47Ti33Zr11Ni8Si1 glass-forming alloy

The microstructures of Cu47Ti33Zr11Ni8Si1 ribbons and rods synthesized by melt spinning and copper mold casting have been investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) as well as high-resolution TEM (HRTEM). Though a fully amorphous microstructure is observed for the as-spun ribbons, a fine nanocrystalline microstructure is observed for the rods suggesting that the bulk glass-forming ability of this alloy has been previously overestimated. This report attempts to address the reasons for the lack of a fully glassy phase in the rapidly solidified Cu47Ti33Zr11Ni8Si1 alloy.