The effect of Ti, Nb, and Ta additions to ZrAlCu metallic glass on the crystallization and formation of the icosahedral phase

The addition of Ti, Nb, or Ta altered the crystallization behavior of the Zr₆₅Al_7.5Cu_27.5 glass, and a metastable nanoscaled I-phase was obtained on primary crystallization of these quaternary glasses. The complete substitution of Al by Nb also led to the precipitation of I-phase upon crystallization. Negative heats of mixing between the addition metals and the transition metals of the mother alloy were demonstrated to be not a necessary condition for I-phase formation in the present alloy system.