New insight on glass-forming ability and designing Cu-based bulk metallic glasses: The solidification range perspective

• The equation, Trg = Tg/Tl, was rotationally modified to Trg = κ(Tm/Tl) + C/Tl.
• The newly generalized equation suggests a way for describing glass-forming ability.
• Several new Cu-based bulk metallic glasses were discovered by solidification range.

In this paper, a new equation was rationally generalized from the reduced glass transition temperature. This equation indicates that solidification range can be used for describing glass-forming ability, which can be calculated with the aid of computational thermodynamic approach. Based on this scenario, several new Cu-based bulk metallic glasses in the ternary Cu–Zr–Ti alloy system were discovered. The as-cast samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electronic microscopy. The results indicate that as-cast samples have monolithic amorphous nature. Thermal analysis validates that the smaller solidification range is closely related to the higher glass-forming ability, which is contributed to the effect of solidification time on the formation of bulk metallic glasses. This work also suggests that solidus can influence glass formation.

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