Thermal stability of (Ce_0.72Cu_0.28)_90-xAl₁₀Fe_x (x = 0, 5 or 10) bulk metallic glasses

Thermal stability of (Ce_0.72Cu_0.28)_90-xAl₁₀Fe_x (x= 0, 5 or 10) bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Temperatures corresponding to glass transition (T_g), onset of crystallization (T_x) and crystallization peak (T_p) shift to higher temperature by increasing the Fe content. Kissinger model allows calculating the effective activation energy E_a of the crystallization process. For the first crystalline peak, energies are 1.47 eV, 1.50 eV and 1.58 eV for x = 0, 5 and 10, respectively, implying that effective activation energy E_aof the crystallization process increases by increasing the Fe content. In the iron-free alloy, a second crystalline peak is observed, with activation energy of 2.3 eV. Influence of microstructure modifications on elastic and viscoelastic properties was investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA).