New Ce-Cu-Al-Zn Bulk Metallic Glasses with High Oxidation Resistance

Abstract

We reported the effect of Zn addition on the glass formation ability (GFA), thermal stability, melting behavior and oxidation behavior of Ce-based bulk metallic glasses (BMGs). The Ce-Cu-Al alloys with Zn addition also have high glass formation ability (GFA) and large supercooled liquid regions (ΔT_x, ΔT_x=T_x−T_g, T_x is the onset crystallization temperature and T_g is the glass transition temperature). The T_g, T_x and ΔT_x are, respectively, 368, 437 and 69 K for the (Ce_0.72Cu_0.28)_87.5Al₁₀Zn_2.5 alloy, and 394, 467 and 73 K for the (Ce_0.72Cu_0.28)_82.5Al₁₀Zn_7.5 alloy. The ΔT_x of the (Ce_0.72Cu_0.28)_100−xAl₁₀Zn_x alloys was above 70 K and the BMGs with diameters up to ∼6 mm could be produced successfully. The critical diameters and ΔT_x of the alloys increase with increasing Zn content, and have maximum values of 6 mm and 73 K, respectively, at 7.5 at% Zn, and then decreases in the higher Zn content range. The melting behavior shows that the addition of Zn element causes the significant increase of both T_m and T_l. The investigation of oxidation behavior shows that the addition of Zn element is effective for the enhancement of the oxidation resistance.