Zr-Al-Ni-Cu glass forming alloys with low fragility parameters

Zr-Al-Ni-Cu bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) were developed and their fragility parameters (m) were calculated by Arrhenius and Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann (VFT) equations. The results show that the m values of the Zr-Al-Ni-Cu BMGs derived by Arrhenius equation are in agreement with the corresponding m values derived by VFT equation. These Zr-Al-Ni-Cu BMGs characterize in low m values. The low m values for these BMGs would be due to their network microstructures. In addition, the m values of Zr-Al-Cu-Ni BMGs could be obtained by regulating Zr content. The composition of Zr-Al-Cu-Ni BMGs with the lowest m value would be near 54%Zr (mole fraction) because the m value about 13 of Zr54Al13Cu18Ni15 BMG is the lowest among these Zr-Al-Ni-Cu BMGs developed.