Crystallization of beryllium–boron metallic glasses

Prior studies of evaporation and sputter deposition show that the grain size of pure beryllium can be dramatically refined through the incorporation of metal impurities. Recently, the addition of boron at a concentration greater than 11% is shown promote glass formation in sputter deposited beryllium. Here, thermally induced crystallization of the beryllium–boron metallic glass is reported. The samples are characterized during an in situ annealing treatment with bright field imaging and electron diffraction using transmission electron microscopy. A nanocrystalline structure evolves from the annealed amorphous phase and the crystallization temperature is affected by the boron concentration.