Effect of minor-addition of Fe on structural and mechanical properties of CuZrAl bulk metallic glass

The CuZrAl bulk metallic glass with minor-addition of Fe was prepared by rapid quenching method. The structures were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The effect of Fe on the glass-forming ability was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The minor-addition of Fe obviously extends the supercooled liquid region ΔTx. The plastic strain of the Cu44Zr48Al7Fe bulk metallic glass is about 1.5%. The microstructures were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is found that when 1%-2% Fe (mole fraction) were introduced into the CuZrAl alloy matrix, nanoscale phase separation occurs in the as-prepared Cu44Zr48Al7Fe bulk metallic glass.