Nearly free electron model to glass-forming ability of multi-component metallic glasses

Abstract A nearly free electron model for explaining the glass-forming ability (GFA) of multi-component bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) is proposed. It can be drawn from this model that the density is closely correlated with the GFA of BMGs and the best GFA can be obtained when the densities of states (DOS) at Fermi level for glasses nearly touch one of the crystalline. Moreover, compelling experimental evidence is provided through systematic study of bulk (Fe1-xCox)71.4Cu0.6B20Si4Nb4 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 at.%) BMGs. Our results highlight the significance density effects on the formation of MGs, and elucidate one process by which the glass-forming tendency may be enhanced in MGs.