Effect of Zr Addition on Glass-Forming Ability and Magnetic Properties of Fe-Nd-Al-B Alloys Prepared by Suction Casting

The microstructure and magnetic behaviors of the Fe-Nd-Al-B alloys prepared by suction casting with zirconium addition are investigated. With the small amount of zirconium addition, the magnetic properties of the alloys change from hard magnetic property to soft magnetic property. The proper addition of Zr （6%） not only improves the glass forming ability, but also suppresses the crystallization. From the scanning electron microscopy of the [（Fe0.53Nd0.37 Al0.10 ）0.96B0.04]94Zr6 alloy and the local average elemental compositions determined using energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis, the amorphous phase with a composition of Fe47Nd38Al12Zra in the alloy can be observed. The bulk amorphous Fe47Nd38Al12Zr3 alloy is prepared by suction casting exhibiting good glassforming ability and soft magnetic behavior.     

A comparative study of the structure and crystallization of bulk metallic amorphous rod Pr60Ni30Al10 and melt-spun metallic amorphous ribbon Al87Ni10Pr3

Pr-based bulk metallic amorphous （BMA） rods （Pr60Ni30Al10） and Al-based amorphous ribbons （Al87Ni10Pr3） have been prepared by using copper mould casting and single roller melt-spun techniques, respectively. Thermal parameters deduced from differential scanning calorimeter （DSC） indicate that the glass-forming ability （GFA） of Pr60Ni30Al10 BMA rod is far higher than that of Al87Ni10Pr3 ribbon. A comparative study about the differences in structure between the two kinds of glass-forming alloys, superheated viscosity and crystallization are also made. Compared with the amorphous alloy Al87Ni10Pr3, the BMA alloy Pr60Ni30Al10 shows high thermal stability and large viscosity, small diffusivity at the same superheated temperatures. The results of x-Ray diffraction （XRD） and transmission electron microscope （TEM） show the pronounced difference in structure between the two amorphous alloys. Together with crystallization results, the main structure compositions of the amorphous samples are confirmed. It seems that the higher the GFA, the more topological type clusters in the Pr-Ni-Al amorphous alloys, the GFAs of the present glass-forming alloys are closely related to their structures.     

Phase Structural Characteristics of ZrV2 Thin Film Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering

The thin film metal hydride has become an emerging field of research in metal hydride batteries for its good mechanical and hydrogenation properties. ZrV2 thin films have been prepared using a dc magnetron sputtering method, and the phase structure is investigated. Only amorphous or crystalline Zr and V mixture phases are achieved when substrates are heated during either to 400℃ or to 550℃. The annealing causes segregation of Zr and V in the film induced by strain-driven diffusion and interdiffusion between substrate Mo and film elements at high temperature, which results in the formation of mixture phases ofC14, C15, Zr and V, but the content of C15 phase is not higher compared with that in the bulk material.     

Influence of Ni on Cu precipitation in Fe Cu Ni ternary alloy by an atomic study

The early aging Cu precipitations in Fe-3%Cu and Fe-3%Cu-4%Ni ternary alloys are investigated by molecular dynamics （MD） simulations. The results show that the average size of Cu clusters in Fe-3%Cu-4%Ni alloy is larger than that in Fe-3%Cu alloy. The diffusion of Cu is accelerated by Ni according to the mean square displacement （MSD）. Furthermore, the whole formation process of Cu-rich clusters is analyzed in detail, and it is found that the presence of Ni promotes small Cu-rich clusters to be combined into big ones. Ni atoms prefer to stay at the combination positions of small clusters energetically due to a large number of the first nearest neighbor Cu-Ni interactions, which is verified by first-principles calculations based on density functional theory （DFT）.     

Energy model for the Zr-based metallic glass alloy melt with clusters

An energy model for the melt of bulk metallic glass (BMG) with clusters was established, the Gibbs free energy and interfacial energy for the Zr-Al-Ni ternary alloy melt with Zr2Ni clusters were calculated, and the effects of the clusters on the Gibbs free energy, interfacial energy and nucleation rate were analyzed. The results showed that the existence of the clusters in the Zr-Al-Ni ternary alloy melt enables the Gibbs free energy to decrease in the composition range where bulk metallic glass forms easily, makes the interfacial energy increase and changes the distribution of the interfacial energy with the alloy composition. Because of the clusters in the melt, the Gibbs free energy of the Zr66Al8Ni26 alloy melt decreases about 0.3-1 kJ/mol and the interfacial energy between the melt and crystal nucleus increases about 0.016 J/m2. The nucleation rate of the undercooled Zr66Al8Ni26 alloy melt decreases evidently under the influence of the clusters on Gibbs free energy and the interfacial energy, and the maximum of the nucleation rate in the melt with the Zr2Ni clusters is only about 107 mol-1·s-1.     

Density functional theory study on Ni-doped MgnNi (n=1-7) clusters

The possible geometrical and the electronic structures of small MgnNi(n = 1-7) clusters are optimised by the density functional theory with a LANL2DZ basis set.The binding energy,the energy gap,the electron affinity,the dissociation energy and the second difference in energy are calculated and discussed.The properties of Mg n Ni clusters are also discussed when the number of Mg atom increases.     

Density functional theory study of MgnNi2 （n=1-6） clusters

The geometries of Mg n Ni 2(n = 1-6) clusters are studied by using the hybrid density functional theory(B3LYP) with LANL2DZ basis sets.For the ground-state structures of Mg n Ni 2 clusters,the stabilities and the electronic properties are investigated.The results show that the groundstate structures and symmetries of Mg clusters change greatly due to the Ni atoms.The average binding energies have a growing tendency while the energy gaps have a declining tendency.In addition,the ionization energies exhibit an odd-even oscillation feature.We also conclude that n = 3,5 are the magic numbers of the Mg n Ni 2 clusters.The Mg 3 Ni 2 and Mg 5 Ni 2 clusters are more stable than neighbouring clusters,and the Mg 4 Ni 2 cluster exhibits a higher chemical activity.     

Molecular Dynamics Study of Icosahedral Clusters in Ni-Zr Amorphous Alloys

Formation of icosahedral dusters in rapidly solidified binary amorphous NixZr100-x （x = 15, 33.3, 50, 66.7, 85） is studied by using molecular dynamics simulation methods. A large number of icosahedral dusters with 13 atoms （Ih13） were observed in NixZr100-x alloys, and most of them, even those in Zr-rich alloys, are found to be Ni-centred. Studies on the structures of Ni33.3Z66.7 obtained at different cooling rates demonstrate that most of iscosahedral dusters enhanced by decreasing cooling rates are also Ni-centred, The essentials of Ni atoms preferring to be the core of icosahedral clusters are illustrated with the criterion of energy minimization and the equilibrium interatomic distances between different atoms.     

Compression Behaviour of Bulk Metallic Glasses and Binary Amorphous Alloy

The compression properties of Zr41Ti14Cu12.aNi10Be22.5, Zr44.4Nb7Cu13.5Ni10.8Be24.3 bulk metallic glasses and Ni77P23 binary amorphous alloy are investigated at room temperature up to 24 GPa, 39 GPa and 30.5 GPa, respectively, using in-situ high pressure energy dispersive x-ray diffraction with a synchrotron radiation source. The pressure-volume relationship of Ni77P23 amorphous alloy is consistent well with the second order BirchMurnaghan （B-M） equation within the experimental pressure range. However, under higher pressure, the experimental data of Zr-based specimens deviate from the B-M equation. Compare to the binary amorphous alloy less excess free volume existing in the bulk metallic glass and multi-component atomic configuration results in a two-stage relationship between compressibility and pressure.     

Density functional theory study of Mg_2Ni_n(n= 1–8) clusters

The density functional theory B3PW91 with LANL2DZ basis sets has been used to study the possible geometries of Mg2Nin(n = 1–8) clusters. For the lowest energy structures of the clusters, stabilities, electronic properties, and natural bond orbital(NBO) are calculated and discussed. The results show that the doped Mg atoms reduce the stabilities of pure Ni clusters. The Mg2Ni2, Mg2Ni4, and Mg2Ni6clusters are more stable than neighboring clusters. The system appears magic number characteristics. In addition, the hybridization phenomenon occurs, owing to the interaction of Mg and Ni. The result of charge transfer is that Ni atom is negative and the Mg atom is positive. We also conclude that the 3p and 4d orbitals of the Ni atom have an effect on the stabilities of the clusters.     

Effects of the laser surface treatment on the mechanical properties of CuZr-based bulk metallic glasses

Surfaces of three types of CuZr-based bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) were modified by laser surface treatment (LST), and the influence of the treatment on structure and mechanical properties of these alloys was investigated. The phase structure of as-cast and laser-treated samples was characterized by XRD and the morphology of the alloys after fracture was examined by SEM. The compressive plasticity of treated Cu47.5Zr47.5Al5 and Cu46.5Zr47.5Al5Co1 BMGs can be improved from 0.5% to 2.0% and from 1.2% to 5.7% respectively compared with the as-cast ones, while (Cu0.55Zr0.40Al0.05)99Er1 BMG shows insignificant change of plasticity. The improvement in plasticity is attributed to induced crystallization of B2 CuZr phase in the treated surface zone of selected metallic glasses.     

Density functional theory study of Mg2Nin （n = 1-8） clustersDensity functional theory study of Mg2Nin （n = 1-8） clustersDensity functional theory study of Mg2Nin （n = 1-8） clustersDensity functional theory study of Mg2Nin （n = 1-8） clustersDensity functional theory study of Mg2Nin （n = 1-8） clusters

The density functional theory B3PW91 with LANL2DZ basis sets has been used to study the possible geometries of Mg2Nin （n - 1-8） clusters. For the lowest energy structures of the clusters, stabilities, electronic properties, and natural bond orbital （NBO） are calculated and discussed. The results show that the doped Mg atoms reduce the stabilities of pure Ni clusters. The Mg2Ni2, Mg2Ni4, and Mg2Ni6 clusters are more stable than neighboring clusters. The system appears magic number characteristics. In addition, the hybridization phenomenon occurs, owing to the interaction of Mg and Ni. The result of charge transfer is that Ni atom is negative and the Mg atom is positive. We also conclude that the 3p and 4d orbitals of the Ni atom have an effect on the stabilities of the clusters.     

Preparation of Mg55Ni35Si10 Amorphous Powders by Mechanical Alloying and Consolidation by Vacuum Hot Pressing

Amorphous Mg55Ni35Si10 powders are fabricated by using a mechanical alloying technique. The amorphous powders are found to exhibit a relatively high crystallization temperature of 380℃. The as-milled amorphous Mg55Ni35Si10 powders are consolidated successfully into bulk body by vacuum hot pressing technique. Limited nanocrystallization is noticed. The Vickers microhardness range of the Mg55Ni35Si10 bulk sample is 7834 to 8048 MPa. Its bending strength and compressive strength are 529 MPa and 1466 MPa, respectively.     

Development of soft magnetic amorphous alloys with distinctly high Fe content

This paper reports on the preparation of Fe_(82.7-85.7)Si_(2-4.9)B_(9.2-11.2)P_(1.5-2.7)C_(0.8) soft magnetic amorphous alloys with a distinctly high Fe content of 93.5-95.5 wt.% by component design and composition adjustment. All alloys can be readily fabricated into completely amorphous ribbon samples with good surface quality by the single copper roller melt-spinning method. These alloys show good bending ductility and excellent magnetic properties after annealing, i.e., low coercivity(H_c) of 3.3-5.9 A/m, high permeability(μ_e)of 5000-10000 and high flux saturation density(B_s) of 1.63-1.66 T. The mechanism of the good glass forming ability(GFA) and soft-magnetic properties are explored. The amorphous alloys with the high Fe content comparable to that of the desired high Si alloy can be promising candidates for the potential application in electric devices.     

Site Preference and Alloying Effect of Excess Ni in Ni-Mn-Ga Shape Memory Alloys

The formation energies and electronic structures of Ni-rich Ni-Mn-Ga alloys have been investigated by firstprinciples calculations using the pseudopotential plane wave method based on density functional theory. The results show that the alloying Ni prefers to occupy the Mn site directly in Ni9Mn3Ga4 and to occupy the Mn site and drive the displaced Mn atom to the Ga site in NigMn4Ga3, which is in accordance with the experimental result. According to the lattice constants and the density of states analyses, these site preference behaviours are closely related to the smaller lattice distortion and the lower-energy electronic structure when the excess Ni occupies the Mn site. The effect of Ni alloying on martensitic transformation is discussed and the enhancement of martensitic transformation temperature by Ni alloying is estimated by the calculated formation energy difference between austenite and martensite phases.     

All-electron study of ultra-incompressible superhard material ReB2: structural and electronic properties

This paper investigates the structural and electronic properties of rhenium diboride by first-principles calculation based on density functional theory. The obtained results show that the calculated equilibrium structural parameters of ReB2 are in excellent agreement with experimental values. The calculated bulk modulus is 361 GPa in comparison with that of the experiment. The compressibility of ReB2 is lower than that of well-known OsB2. The anisotropy of the bulk modulus is confirmed by c/a ratio as a function of pressure curve and the bulk modulus along different axes along with the electron density distribution. The high bulk modulus is attributed to the strong covalent bond between Re-d and B-p orbitals and the wider pseudogap near the Fermi level, which could be deduced from both electron charge density distribution and density of states. The band structure and density of states of ReB2 exhibit that this material presents metallic behavior. The good metallicity and ultra-incompressibility of ReB2 might suggest its potential application as pressure-proof conductors.     

Electromagnetic wave absorbing properties and hyperfine interactions of Fe–Cu–Nb–Si–B nanocomposites

The Fe–Cu–Nb–Si–B alloy nanocomposite containing two ferromagnetic phases(amorphous phase and nanophase phase) is obtained by properly annealing the as-prepared alloys. High resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM) images show the coexistence of these two phases. It is found that Fe–Si nanograins are surrounded by the retained amorphous ferromagnetic phase. M¨ossbauer spectroscopy measurements show that the nanophase is the D03-type Fe–Si phase, which is employed to find the atomic fractions of resonant57 Fe atoms in these two phases. The microwave permittivity and permeability spectra of Fe–Cu–Nb–Si–B nanocomposite are measured in the frequency range of 0.5 GHz–10 GHz. Large relative microwave permeability values are obtained. The results show that the absorber containing the nanocomposite flakes with a volume fraction of 28.59% exhibits good microwave absorption properties. The reflection loss of the absorber is less than-10 dB in a frequency band of 1.93 GHz–3.20 GHz.     

Ab Initio Calculations for the Polarizabilities of Small Sulfur Clusters

Polarizabilities of small Sn （n = 2-8） clusters are calculated by using the higher-order finite-difference pseudopotential density functional method in real space. We find that the polarizabilities of the clusters are considered to be higher than the value estimated from the “hard sphere” model using the bulk static dielectric constant. The computed polarizabilities per atom tend to decrease with the increasing cluster size. The polarizabilities are closely related to the HOMO-LUMO gaps and the geometrical configurations.     

Crystallization of the Amorphous Zr70Cu20Ni10Alloy

Crystallization Behaviour of the amorphous Zr70Cu20Ni10 alloy within the supercooled liquid region has been investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).It is found that the relationship between the incubation time,which is necessary for the amorphous Zr70Cu20Ni10 alloy to nucleate and grow,and the annealing temperature obeys an exponential function.A similar relationship can also be observed between the peak time corresponding to the minimum of the exothermic reaction in the DSC scan and the annealing temperature,TEM observations confirm that the first exothermic peak in the DSC trace of amorphous Zr70Cu20Ni10 alloy mainly corresponds to the precipitation of the Zr2Cu phase,while the second peak mainly corresponds to the precipitation of the nanoscale Zr2Ni phase.     

Preferred clusters in metallic glasses

In this work,we present a feasible scheme based on framework of the sophisticated Voronoi tessellation method in order to evaluate what clusters should be preferred for building blocks in any given metallic glass,by analysing the fivefold-symmetry axes as well as the degree of structural regularity in various clusters.This scheme is well proved by a group of experiments and calculations,which may have broad implications for exploration of obtaining explicit and proper structural pictures,and understanding the structural origin of the unique properties and glass forming ability in these novel amorphous alloys.