The thermophysical properties of bulk metallic glass-forming liquids

Bulk metallic glass-forming liquids are alloys with typically three to five metallic components that have a large atomic-size mismatch and a compositi on close to a deep eutectic. They are dense liquids with small free volumes and viscosities that are several orders of magnitude higher than in pure m etals ou previously known alloys. In addition, these melts are energeticall y closer to the crystalline slate than other metallic melts dire to their h igh packing density in conjunction with a tendency to develop short-range o rder. These factors lead to slow crystallization kinetics and high glass-fo rming ability. Crystallization kinetics is very complex, especially in the vicinity off the glass transition, dire to the influence of phase separatio n and the decoupling of the diffusion constants of the different species.