Mechanism, condition and characteristics for the formation of the network structure in Zr-Al-Ni-Cu bulk metallic glasses

Mechanism, condition and characteristics for the formation of the network structure in a group of Zr-Al-Ni-Cu bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) were investigated. The results show that the constituent segregation and/or the symplastic growth would be the mechanisms for the formation of the cell structure in the present Zr-Al-Ni-Cu BMGs. The cell structure can be easily obtained for the glass forming alloys whose compositions locate nearby the eutectic point. The shorter the distance is from the eutectic point, the larger the cell and the thicker the cell wall of the network structure will be. The present investigation would provide useful information for the development of the BMG with the network structure.