Crystallization and thermally induced surface relief effects in a Mg65Cu25Y10 bulk metallic glass

The crystallization behaviour of Mg65Cu25Y10 bulk metallic glass (BMG) under different reheating conditions was investigated. X-ray diffraction spectrometery (XRD), differential scanning calorimetery (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were employed to examine the crystallization of different samples and the surface relief generated on as-polished surfaces during heat treatment. Different phase constituents were found in samples that experienced different reheating stages. It is proposed that both the reheating temperature and holding time have a significant effect on the phase constituents. The BMG was found to generate surface corrugations of amplitude 1– 2 lm during annealing above its crystallization temperature. Such thermally induced surface relief effects are probably a result of the development of surface stresses generated by volumetric changes associated with crystallization of the residual amorphous phase.