Glass formation and microstructure evolution in Al–Ni–RE (RE = La,Ce, Pr,Nd and misch metal) ternary systems

Glass formation has been systematically studied in melt-spun Al-rich Al–Ni–RE (RE?=?La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Mm; Mm?=?misch metal) alloys by navigating the compositions following the observation of microstructure evolution in the resulting ribbons. The optimum glass-forming regions are similarly located around Al₈₅Ni₁₀RE₅ and found in the centre of the composites with primary phase α-Al, Al₁₁RE₃ and Al₃Ni. The similarities in the critical cross-section below which a component is fully amorphous and the optimum compositions in these Al–Ni–RE systems are interpreted in terms of their competing crystalline phases and thermodynamic properties. Interestingly, it is indicated that Ni content is markedly higher than RE content in the best glass-forming alloys, which may be associated with strong interaction between Ni–Al atom pairs and the dense packing due to Ni-centred clusters.