High thermal stability of the amorphous oxide in Ti44.5Cu44.5Zr7Be4 metallic glass

Abstract

The oxidation behavior of Ti44.5Cu44.5Zr7Be4 metallic glass has been investigated. The oxide layer with a fully amorphous structure forms when heated up to the SCL temperature region, indicating that the presence of Be in the oxide layer improves the thermal stability of the amorphous oxide. The amorphous oxide is stable even when heated above the crystallization onset temperature. The thickness of the amorphous oxide layer reaches to ∼160 nm when heated up to 773 K. The oxide layer grows in both inward and outward directions, leaving Cu-enriched crystalline particles at the middle section of the oxide layer.