Thermal stability and glass-forming ability of Y-Ce-Co-Al bulk metallic glasses

The thermal stability and glass-forming ability of Y_56-xCe_xCo₂₀Al₂₄ (x=15, 20, 25, 28, 38, 41, 44) bulk metallic glasses with a diameter of 5 mm were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. The results show that the thermal stability of the alloys decreases with the addition of Ce. It has the best glass-forming ability when x=25, whose calculated values can reach about 30 mm in diameter. The effect of Ce element could be explained on the view of Miedema’s theory and electronegativity difference of amorphous alloys.