A combinatorial strategy for metallic glass design via laser deposition

• We used laser deposition to synthesize compositionally-graded Cu–Zr specimens.
• Cu and Zr powders were simultaneously laser-deposited onto Zr substrates.
• A smooth, featureless surface topography indicated amorphous structure.
• We deduced the best binary Cu–Zr glass former by varying the laser line energy.

In this work, compositionally-graded CuxZr100−x specimens with x ranging 61–76 were fabricated by a direct laser additive manufacturing process. Topographically featureless surface regions, which suggest the possibility of a non-crystalline structure, were observed over the range 62–67 at% Cu using differential interference contrast light microscopy. Electron diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry verified that these regions were primarily amorphous. By varying the laser power and thereby the heating and cooling rate of the specimen, we show that the most stable glass-forming composition within the explored range is Cu64.7Zr35.3, in excellent agreement with the previously reported optimum composition of Cu64.5Zr35.5 that was identified by trial and error.