Crystallization behavior of the bulk metallic glass forming Zr41Ti14Cu12Ni10Be23 liquid

The crystallization behavior of the undercooled bulk metallic glass forming Zr41Ti14Cu12Ni10Be23 liquid is investigated. Isothermal undercooling exper iments are carried out on samples cooled from the equilibrium melt as well as on amorphous samples heated into the supercooled liquid region. The larg e stability against crystallization of this alloy enables isothermal crysta llization studies at the same temperature on amorphous samples heated and s amples cooled from above the liquidus temperature. Results are compared wit h constant heating and cooling experiments. A rate of about 1 K/s is suffic ient to suppress crystallization of the melt upon cooling from the equilibr ium liquid. Upon heating amorphous samples, in contrast, a rate of about 20 0 K/s is necessary to avoid crystallization. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.