Temperature dependence of longitudinal elastic constant of Zr–Al–Cu–Ni glassy metals

Abstract Temperature dependence of an adiabatic elastic stiffness constant c11 for metallic glasses Zr55Al10Cu35−xNix (x = 0, 5) is estimated from that of ultrasonic velocity measured by a technique of mechanical resonance of continuous waves from room temperature to 90 K. Temperature dependence of the sample length is also measured. The value of c11 at room temperature is between those of main constituent elements Zr and Cu, and is near to one of Zr. The temperature dependence of c11 for the metallic glasses is weaker than that of any constituent element, Zr, Al, Cu and Ni. This weak dependence may come from a peculiar structure characterizing the metallic glasses.