Phason strained quasicrystalline and crystalline precipitates in Zr–Al–Ni–Cu–Nb bulk metallic glass matrix composites

Abstract Quasicrystalline and crystalline precipitates in isothermally annealed bulk metallic glass (Zr65Al10Ni10Cu15)93Nb7 are investigated by transmission electron microscopy techniques. The great majority of the precipitates are icosahedral quasicrystal with primitive icosahedral lattice. The linear phason strain widely existed in the quasicrystal phase is determined quantitatively by electron diffraction analysis. Precise measuring of the diffraction spots' deviation and the quantitative data fitting provides the phason strain matrix. Besides, nano-scaled crystallite inclusions are confirmed as rutile TiO2 assembling with 10 1 ¯ twinning.