Structural relaxation in a Fe-based metallic glass: Changes in local structure and role of heterogeneity

• Published in: Intermetallics Vol. 103; no. C; pp. 72 - 77
• Main Authors: Zhu, L., Wang, Y.G., Lan, S., Wang, X.-L., Lu, C.Y., Zhai, X.B., Meng, Y.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Barking Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2018; Elsevier BV; Elsevier
• Subjects: Ab-initio calculation; Amorphous materials; Annealing; Atomic structure; Degeneration; Distribution functions; Glass; Heterogeneity; Iron; Metallic glasses; Organic chemistry; Physical properties; Small angle X ray scattering; Thermal relaxation; X ray spectra; X-ray diffraction/scattering; Metallic glasses; Annealing; X-ray diffraction/scattering; Ab-initio calculation
• ISSN: 0966-9795; 1879-0216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.intermet.2018.10.007

Atomic structure evolution induced by thermal relaxation is investigated in Fe80P11C9 metallic glass by a suite of techniques. The topological structure of Fe80P11C9 metallic glasses characterized by the Voronoi polyhedrons varies with relaxation proceeding. Meanwhile, the results of partial pair distribution functions and local composition distribution indicate that the degree of the chemical order for different species changes and the solvent-solute correlation significantly enhances. Moreover, the Mössbauer spectra measurements suggest that significant element redistribution occurs during the structural relaxation. Hence, only topological structure change is insufficient to describe the structural relaxation. These results manifest that the structural relaxation can be described via heterogeneity degeneration, which is also supported by the small angle X-ray scattering measurements. •Synchrotron XRD and AIMD are used to study the relaxation process of a Fe-based metallic glass.•Enhancement of the solvent-solute correlation accompanied by the topological structure change occurs during relaxation.•Heterogeneity degenerates upon relaxation.