Gd-Co-Al and Gd-Ni-Al bulk metallic glasses with high glass forming ability and good mechanical properties

The glass forming ability of Gd-Co-Al and Gd-Al-Ni ternary alloy systems with a composition range of 50-70 at.% Gd and 0-40 at.% Al were investigated by copper mold casting. Bulk glassy alloys with composition of Gd₆₀Co₂₅Al₁₅ and Gd₆₀Ni₁₅Al₂₅ with the maximum diameters of 5 and 4 mm, respectively, were produced in the Gd-Al-Co and Gd-Al-Ni alloy systems The reduce glass transformation temperature (T_g/T_l) and the distance of supercooling region ΔT_x are 0.6 and 45 K for the Gd₆₀Co₂₅Al₁₅ and Gd₆₀Ni₁₅Al₂₅ bulk metallic glasses, respectively. The compressive fracture strength σ_f and Young's modulus E of these two glassy alloys are 1250 MPa and 63 GPa for Gd₆₀Co₂₅Al₁₅, 1300 MPa and 65 GPa for Gd₆₀Ni₁₅Al₂₅ alloy, respectively. The Gd-Co-Al and Gd-Al-Ni bulk glassy alloys with high glass forming ability and good mechanical properties are promising for the future development as a new type function materials.