Gd–Co–Al and Gd–Ni–Al bulk metallic glasses with high glass forming ability and good mechanical properties

The glass forming ability of Gd–Co–Al and Gd–Al–Ni ternary alloy systems with a composition range of 50–70 at.% Gd and 0–40 at.% Al were investigated by copper mold casting. Bulk glassy alloys with composition of Gd60Co25Al15 and Gd60Ni15Al25 with the maximum diameters of 5 and 4 mm, respectively, were produced in the Gd–Al–Co and Gd–Al–Ni alloy systems The reduce glass transformation temperature (Tg/Tl) and the distance of supercooling region ΔTx are 0.6 and 45 K for the Gd60Co25Al15 and Gd60Ni15Al25 bulk metallic glasses, respectively. The compressive fracture strength σf and Young's modulus E of these two glassy alloys are 1250 MPa and 63 GPa for Gd60Co25Al15, 1300 MPa and 65 GPa for Gd60Ni15Al25 alloy, respectively. The Gd–Co–Al and Gd–Al–Ni bulk glassy alloys with high glass forming ability and good mechanical properties are promising for the future development as a new type function materials.