Compression of bulk metallic glass Zr₅₇Cu_15.4Ni_12.6Al₁₀Nb₅ to 122 GPa

Abstract

Ultra high pressure X-ray diffraction studies have been carried out on group IV transition metals-based bulk metallic glass (BMG) Zr₅₇Cu_15.4Ni_12.6Al₁₀Nb₅ to a pressure of 122 GPa at ambient temperature in a diamond anvil cell. Image plate X-ray diffraction studies under high pressure were carried out at a synchrotron source and the two BMG diffraction bands can be followed to the highest pressure using an internal copper pressure standard. Our experiments show that the BMG is stable to compression as high as 40% and thermal activation is needed to nucleate nanostructures/crystallization under extreme conditions. The fit to the Birch–Murnaghan equation of state gives bulk modulus (B ₀)=116 GPa and its pressure derivative B′=3.04. The measured differential radial distribution function shows gradual compression of the shell structures in the BMG to extreme compressions.

Keywords:

• bulk metallic glass
• X-ray diffraction
• ultra high pressure

PACS :

• 62.50.-p
• 64.70.pe
• 64.30.Ef

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge support from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Materials Research (DMR), under Grant No. DMR–0703891. Andrew Stemshorn acknowledges support from the Department of Education Grant No. P200A090143. Portions of this work were performed at HPCAT (Sector 16), Advanced Photon Source (APS), Argonne National Laboratory.