A new method to characterize medium range order in metallic glasses

A new method was proposed to describe cluster packing in metallic glasses. This method has no limitation of solute concentration and characterizes cluster packing by Voronoi polyhedron. The application of this method to Cu64Zr36 metallic glass indicates that most of the styles of cluster packing have the preference of fivefold local environment but not a face-centered-cubic or an icosahedral packing. The linear correlation between the coordinate number and the average number of adjust clusters might give an indication of the fractal nature of medium range order in metallic glasses. ► New method with no limitation of solute concentration was proposed to describe cluster packing in metallic glasses. ► Most of the styles of cluster packing have the preference of fivefold symmetry. ► Linear correlation between the coordinate number and the average number of adjust clusters