Reduced glass transition temperature and glass forming ability of bulk glass forming alloys

Onset temperature (solidus) T_m and offset temperature (liquidus) T₁ of melting of a series of bulk glass forming alloys based on Zr, La, Mg, Pd and rare-earth elements have been measured by studying systematically the melting behaviour of these alloys using DTA or DSC. Bulk metallic glass formation has been found to be most effective at or near their eutectic points and less effective for off-eutectic alloys. Reduced glass transition temperature T_rg given by T_g/T₁ is found to show a stronger correlation with critical cooling rate or critical section thickness for glass formation than T_rg given by T_g/T_m.