Dóra Janovszky

CuZrAl Amorphous Alloys Prepared by Casting and Milling

Several preparation methods are available for the production of amorphous alloys. During the experiment described in this paper (Cu58Zr42)100-xAlx (x = 0-14,8; in at%) amorphous alloys were prepared by casting and ball-milling. The ingots were produced by arc melting. Wedge-shaped samples were prepared from the ingots by centrifugal casting into copper mould. The microstructures of these samples were defined by SEM. The amorphous samples were analysed by DSC and the activation energy of the crystallization processes was calculated from the measured temperatures. The master alloys of identical composition were milled by ball-mill for different periods of time. The powders were analysed by XRD in order to define the amorphous fractions.

Evaluation of XRD analysis of amorphous alloys

There is an active research work in the field of amorphous alloys since the discovery of metallic glasses, half a century ago [. In contrast with crystalline alloys, amorphous one have unique material properties, e.g. high yield strength, superior elastic limit, high corrosion resistance, unique acoustical properties [2,. Producing amorphous alloys, it is first necessary to quantify the forming of structure and define the amorphous amount. All of the methods to determine the structure have advantages and disadvantages. An accurate determination of amorphous volume fraction can be accomplished by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), this observation is much localized [ and the evaluation is difficult. The most common techniques to determine the amorphous fraction are XRD and DSC methods, which reflect the entire sample [. However, XRD has a detection limit depending on the type of equipment. Apart from this fact, it is an admitted method in researches, if the XRD reflexion shows an amorphous halo. Amorphous fraction transformed to crystalline can be measured by DSC. This method is much sensitive to impurities, especially oxygen, which can influence on the results.

Analysis of Cu-Zr-Ag Amorphisable Alloys Produced by Centrifugal Casting

Bulk Metallic Glasses (BMGs) have been widely investigated due to their excellent physical and chemical properties [1]. The copper based BMG occupies a special place in the family of BMGs since they are relatively low priced. The Cu-Zr-Ag ternary system has been examined on the basis of the ternary phase diagram [2]. We have changed the concentration of the alloys from the Cu58Zr42 to the concentration of the deep eutectic point. Wedge-shaped samples have been cast from the master alloys by centrifugal casting into a copper mould, consequently analyse the influence of the cooling rate on the crystallization. The cooling rate has been estimated from the secondary dendrite arm distances by using a Cu-Sn crystalline alloy. Near the tip of the wedge the samples were amorphous and near the base of the wedge the samples were fully or partially crystallized. The structures of the samples have been characterized by scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction.

Phase Transformation and Morphology Evolution of Ti50Cu25Ni20Sn5 during Mechanical Milling

Nanocrystalline/amorphous powder was produced by ball milling of Ti50Cu25Ni20Sn5 (at.%) master alloy. Both laser diffraction particle size analyzer and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to monitor the changes in the particle size as well as in the shape of particles as a function of milling time. During ball milling, the average particle size decreased with milling time from >320 µm to ~38 µm after 180 min of milling. The deformation-induced hardening and phase transformation caused the hardness value to increase from 506 to 779 HV. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to observe the changes in the phases/amorphous content as a function of milling time. The amount of amorphous fraction increased continuously until 120 min milling (36 wt % amorphous content). The interval of crystallite size was between 1 and 10 nm after 180 min of milling with 25 wt % amorphous fractions. Cubic Cu(Ni,Cu)Ti2 structure was transformed into the orthorhombic structure owing to the shear/stress, dislocations, and Cu substitution during the milling process.

Amorphization of CuZr Based Alloy Powders by Mechanical Milling

The effect of nickel addition was studied in the CuZr system creating alloys with near eutectic composition. Nickel and aluminum have been regarded as useful elements to improve the plasticity, thermal stability of the CuZr-based amorphous alloys. Cu49Zr45Al6 and (Cu49Zr45Al6)95Ni5 were selected because of the good glass-forming ability. After 15 h of milling the structure of the powders was amorphous based on the XRD analysis. By adding nickel, the crystallization temperature (Tx) shifted to higher temperatures compared to CuZrAl alloy. The value of supercooled liquid region was 64 K, which means CuZrAl has a comparatively high glass forming ability.

Designing Amorphous/Crystalline Composites by Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation

The Cu-Zr-Ag system is characterized by a miscibility gap. The liquid separates into Ag-rich and Cu-Zr rich liquids. Yttrium was added to the Cu-Zr-Ag and Cu-Zr-Ag-Al systems and its influence on liquid immiscibility was studied. This alloying element has been chosen to check the effect of the heat of mixing between silver and the given element. In the case of Ag-Y system it is highly negative (-29 kJ/mol). The liquid becomes immiscible in the Cu-Zr-Ag-Y system. To the effect of Y addition the quaternary liquid decomposed into Ag-Y rich and Cu-Zr rich liquids. The Y addition increased the field of miscibility gap. An amorphous/crystalline composite with 6 mm thickness has been successfully produced by liquid-liquid separation based on preliminary calculation of its composition. The matrix was Cu38Zr48Al6Ag8 and the crystalline phases were Ag-Y rich separate spherical droplets.

Survey of BGFA Criteria for the Cu-Based Bulk Amorphous Alloys

To verify the effect of composition on the bulk glass forming ability (BGFA) of Cu-based alloys, properties have been collected from the literature (~100 papers, more than 200 alloys). Surveying the BGFA criteria published so far, it has been found that the atomic mismatch condition of Egami-Waseda is fulfilled for all the Cu-based BGFAs, the 𝜆 value being above 0,3. The Zhang Bangwei criterion could be applied for the binary Cu-based alloys. The Miracle and Senkov criteria do not necessarily apply for Cu based bulk amorphous alloys. The critical thickness versus 𝛾=𝑇𝑥/(𝑇𝑔

New bulk glassy alloys in Cu-Zr-Ag ternary system prepared by casting and milling

The thermal stability, crystallization behaviour and glass forming ability of Cu-Zr-Ag system have been investigated on the basis of a ternary phase diagram. We altered the concentration of the alloys from the Cu58Zr42 to the concentration of the deep eutectic point of the Cu-Zr-Ag ternary system and we calculated the glass forming ability parameters. This paper summerises the results of the procedure during which Cu-Zr-Ag amorphous alloys with different Ag content (0-25%) were prepared by casting and ball-milling. Wedge-shaped samples were prepared from the ingots by centrifugal casting into copper mold. The supercooled liquid region (ΔTx) exceeded 75K. Following the characterization of the cast alloys, master alloys of identical composition were milled in a Fritsch Pulverisette 2 ball-mill. The powders, milled for various periods of time were analysed by XRD in order to define the amorphous fraction.

Hf particles reinforced Cu-Zr-Al amorphous powder produced by milling

This research work dealt with production of amorphous powder with nominal composition of (Cu55Zr45Al10)97Hf3 (at%). Combining the mechanical milling and alloying, powder of crystalline Cu-Zr-Al alloy mixed with Hf elemental powder were milled in order to produce a homogenous and amorphous alloy powder The master alloy and the powders milled for different time were analyzed by X-Ray Analysis (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Particle size distribution and hardness were controlled during milling and at the end of procedure. The milling caused dissolving of the hafnium. The 25 h milling time was the optimal to obtain the Hf containing powder with amorphous structure. However, elemental Hf traces with size below 3 µm were still observed in the powder. After 50 h of milling, such impurity elements as iron, nickel, chromium originating from milling tools (vial, balls) were detected.

Nanostructure layer formation on Cu-Zr-Al alloy during laser remelting

This paper reports laser remelting of crystalline Cu based alloys in order to produce amorphous layer on the surface. The as prepared Cu based master alloy ingots were imbedded in a metallic sinking with Wood metal to assure the good thermal conductivity during the laser treatment. The laser remelting of a thin surface layer and a subsequent rapid cooling of it was performed using impulse and continuous mode of Nd:YAG laser. In respectively the impulse mode the laser power and the interaction time were 1.5; 2 kW and 20÷100 ms. In the continuous mode the laser power was 2 kW, and the laser scan speed was 80÷120 mm/s. The characterization of the microstructure of surface layer was performed by XRD, scanning electron microscopy and microhardness measurements.