Structural behavior and glass transition of bulk metallic glasses

Abstract The thermal behavior of Pd 40 Cu 30 Ni 10 P 20 and Zr 60 Ti 2 Cu 20 Ni 8 Al 10 bulk metallic glasses has been investigated in situ through the glass transition by means of differential scanning calorimetry, high-temperature X-ray synchrotron diffraction, and electrical resistivity. The temperature dependence of the X-ray structure factor can be well described by the Debye theory within the glassy state with a Debye temperature of θ = 296 K for Pd 40 Cu 30 Ni 10 P 20 , and θ = 418 K for Zr 60 Ti 2 Cu 20 Ni 8 Al 10 , respectively. At the glass transition temperature the temperature dependence of the structure changes, pointing to a continuous development of structural changes in the liquid state with temperature. The electrical resistivity behaves similar to the structure factor in accordance with Ziman theory.