Ultrafine nanostructure of partially crystallized bulk amorphous Zr54.5Ti7.5Al10Cu20Ni8

Bulk amorphous Zr54.5Ti7.5Al10Cu20Ni8 was investigated by means of small-an gle neutron scattering and high-resolution electron microscopy. Partially c rystallized states were generated by annealing. The scattering data were an alyzed in terms of a model taking into account both properties of the parti cles and interparticle interference. The mean radius of the particles is 1. 3 nm. They are surrounded by a depletion zone with mean thickness of 2.6 nm . The volume fraction of the particles is estimated from the interparticle interference effect; its upper limit after annealing at 653 K for 4 h is 12 %. Electron microscopy confirms the size determined from the scattering dat a and shows that the particles are crystalline.