Thermophysical properties of Zr–Cu–Al metallic glasses during crystallization

The crystallization behavior of Zr–Cu–Al metallic glasses was studied using thermophysical property measurements. When the Zr content of Zr–Cu–Al metallic glass decreased from 65 at.% to 45 at.%, the thermal conductivity gradually increased and the maximum value obtained was the composition of Zr:Cu:Al = 50:39.3:10.7(at.%). These metallic glasses were not crystallized upon heat treatment below the glass transition temperature Tg, and the thermophysical properties of these metallic glasses were almost constant. In contrast, these metallic glasses started to crystallize upon heat treatment above Tg after a certain derived time, and their thermal conductivity increased with the crystallinity of the metallic glass.