Structural relaxation process in a bulk Pd40Cu30Ni10P20 metallic glass with a high Kauzmann temperature

The structural relaxation in a Pd 40 Cu 30 Ni 10 P 20 metallic glass was investigated by an electrical resistivity experiment. A chemical short range ordering (CSRO) process was observed together with the ordinary topological short range ordering (TSRO) one. It was found that the TSRO process was influenced by the B 2 O 3 flux treatment that was used to improve the thermal stability. The kinetics of CSRO were examined by measuring the isothermal change in the room temperature resistivity, ρ 300 , after annealing for a given time. The data obtained were successfully fitted by the relaxation function and the CSRO process was a thermally activated process with an energy spectrum.