Phase separation before crystallization in Zr–Ti–Cu–Ni–Be bulk metallic glasses: influence of the chemical composition

When heated at high temperature, crystallization can be observed in bulk metallic glasses. In amorphous Zr–Ti–Cu–Ni–Be alloys, depending on heating conditions and composition of the alloy, a decomposition phenomenon can sometimes take place before the formation of a crystalline phase (e.g. in Vit1 (Zr41.2Ni10Ti13.8Cu12.5Be22.5 (at.%))) or crystallization can be initiated directly from the amorphous matrix (e.g. in Vit4 (Zr46.75Ti8.25Cu7.5Ni10Be27.5 (at.%))). The increase of the Be content from Vit1 to Vit4 enables the formation of a quasi-crystalline phase.