A New Ni-Based Metallic Glass with High Thermal Stability and Hardness

Glass forming ability (GFA), thermal stability and microhardness of Ni51−xCuxW31.6B17.4 (x = 0, 5) metallic glasses have been investigated. For each alloy, thin sheets of samples having thickness of 20 µm and 100 µm were synthesized by piston and anvil method in a vacuum arc furnace. Also, 400 µm thick samples of the alloys were synthesized by suction casting method. The samples were investigated by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Crystallization temperature of the base alloy, Ni51W31.6B17.4, is found to be 996 K and 5 at.% copper substitution for nickel increases the crystallization temperature to 1063 K, which is the highest value reported for Ni-based metallic glasses up to the present. In addition, critical casting thickness of alloy Ni51W31.6B17.4 is 100 µm and copper substitution does not have any effect on critical casting thickness of the alloys. Also, microhardness of the alloys are found to be around 1200 Hv, which is one of the highest microhardness values reported for a Ni-based metallic glass until now