Bulk amorphous metallic alloys: Synthesis by fluxing techniques and properties

Bulk amorphous alloys having dimensions of at least 1 cm in diameter have been prepared in the Pd-Ni-P, Pd-Cu-P, Pd-Cu-Ni-P, and Pd-Ni-Fe-P systems using a fluxing and water-quenching technique. The compositions for bulk glass formation have been determined in these systems. For these bulk metallic glasses, the difference between the crystallization temperature (Tx) and the glass transition temperature (Tg, ΔT=Tx−Tg) ranges from 60 to 110 K. These large values of ΔT open the possibility for the fabrication of amorphous near-net-shaped components using techniques such as injection molding. The thermal, elastic, and magnetic properties of these alloys have been studied, and we have found that bulk amorphous Pd40Ni22.5Fe17.5P20 has spin glass behavior for temperatures below 30 K.