Pressure-induced amorphization of ZrTiCuNiBe bulk glass-forming alloy

Zr41Ti14Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 alloy can be cooled under high pressure (HP) to a bulky glassy state at very low cooling rates. The structure and properties of the bulk metallic glass (BMG) are investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, x-ray diffraction, ultrasonic study, and density measurements. The effects of pressure on the glass formation are discussed from the points of view of nucleation kinetics and thermodynamics. The BMG obtained under HP is in a high-density amorphous state that is different in structure and property from low-density amorphous phase quenched in water. Solidification under HP is a promising way not only for synthesizing BMGs with more densely packed structures and different properties, but also for understanding the glass formation mechanism.