Pinpoint the best glass forming alloy by microstructure study in Cu ₈Zr₃-Cu₁₀Zr₇eutectic system of Cu-Zr binary system

By systematically studying the microstructure change in the 2 mm cast rods, the best glass forming alloy in binary Cu₈Zr₃-Cu ₁₀Zr₇ eutectic system was pinpointed and 2 mm fully amorphous rod was obtained. It was found that the best glass forming alloy in this system, Cu_64.5Zr_35.5, was surrounded by alloys forming amorphous matrix composites, in which the type and volume fraction of the crystalline phase (CugZr₃ or CuioZr₇) changed according to the compositions. The competitive process between the formation of glass and the growth of the eutectic and primary phases can well explain the microstructure change of these cast rods, which suggests a good way to pinpoint the best glass forming alloy within an alloy system.