Influence of annealing treatments on crystallization and mechanical properties of a Al–4Ni–6Ce glass

Previous studies of crystallization in Al-based glasses show the early appearance of many nano-sized, pure Al crystals which thereafter grow much more slowly. The present study extends such annealing treatments and examines the early appearance of nano-sized Al crystals and their subsequent growth to very large sizes before, eventually, other intermetallic phases appear. The growth of the Al crystals to very large size appears to take place by a spherulitic destabilization of the Al crystal–glass interface and the formation of a glass–Al mixture. Changes of mechanical properties are discussed in terms of the structural changes.