Bulk Glass Formation in an Fe-Based Fe–Y–Zr–M (M = Cr, Co, Al)–Mo–B System

Several new bulk metallic glasses based on Fe–Y–Zr–(Co, Cr, Al)–Mo–B, which have a glass-forming ability superior to the best composition Fe₆₁Zr₁₀Co₇Mo₅W₂B₁₅ reported recently, have been successfully developed. The as-cast bulk amorphous alloys showed a distinctly high thermal stability with glass-transition temperatures above 900 K, supercooled liquid regions above 60 K, and high strength with Vickers hardness values larger than HV 1200. The suppression of the growth of primary phases in the molten liquids and the resultant low liquidus temperatures were found to be responsible for the superior glass-forming ability in these new alloys. It was found that the addition of 2% Y not only facilitated bulk glass formation, but the neutralizing effect of Y with oxygen in the molten liquids also improved the manufacturability of these amorphous alloys.