Comprehensive thermal analysis of a high stability Cu-Zr-Al bulk metallic glass subjected to high-pressure torsion

Bulk metallic glass of Cu ₃₈Zr ₅₄Al ₈ nominal composition was synthesized by copper mold casting into 6 mm diameter rods. Disks of the as-cast glass were subjected to severe plastic deformation by high-pressure torsion for different number of revolutions. The microstructure and the thermal behavior of the as-cast, isothermally annealed and deformed glass have been investigated by X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively. Continuous heating experiments revealed a two-stage devitrification event with excellent glass forming parameters, such as glass transition (T _g = 671 K), supercooled liquid region (∆T _x = 80 K), reduced glass transition (T _r = 0.57) and gamma parameter (γ = 0.41). Power law crystal growth during diffusion-controlled homogeneous nucleation was observed for isothermal annealings. Glassy state was preserved almost in the entire sample volume of the as-cast alloy during the high-pressure torsion process, corresponding to the extreme stability of the Cu ₃₈Zr ₅₄Al ₈ alloy against deformation-induced devitrification. This is in accordance with the transition of the reversible specific heat from the glassy to supercooled liquid state measured by modulated calorimetry. It was also concluded that glassy structure is more ordered in the severely deformed state.