Synthesis and properties of Cu–Zr–Ag–Al glassy alloys with high glass-forming ability

New Cu–Zr-based glassy alloys with an unusual glass-forming ability (GFA) were synthesized in the Cu–Zr–Ag–Al system, based on a ternary Cu45Zr45Ag10 alloy. The quaternary alloys exhibit large supercooled liquid region of 75–108 K and high-reduced glass transition temperature of 0.581–0.610. The best GFA was obtained for Cu36Zr48Ag8Al8 alloy, from which bulk glassy samples of up to 25 mm diameter were successfully fabricated by an injection mold casting method. The bulk glassy alloys exhibit high-compressive fracture strength of 1836–1981 MPa with plastic strain of 0.1–1.0% and excellent corrosion resistance in 1N H2SO4 solution.