Metallic glass materials and methods of making the same

Abstract

Precursor metal salts of at least two different metals can be loaded onto a substrate. The substrate can be heated at a heating rate to a first temperature, and then maintained at the first temperature for a first time. The first temperature can be in a range of 1000-3000 K, and the first time can be in a range of 1 μs-10 s. After the first time, the substrate can be cooled from the first temperature at a cooling rate, such that a metallic glass material is formed on the substrate. The metallic glass material can comprise a homogeneous mixture of the at least two different metals and forming a single amorphous solid.

1 . A method, comprising:
 loading a plurality of precursors onto a substrate, the plurality of precursors comprising metal salts of at least two different metals;   heating the loaded substrate at a heating rate to a first temperature;   maintaining the loaded substrate at the first temperature for a first time; and   after the first time, cooling the substrate from the first temperature at a cooling rate such that a metallic glass nanoparticle is formed on the substrate,   wherein the metallic glass nanoparticle comprises a homogeneous mixture of the at least two different metals and the homogeneous mixture forms a single amorphous solid.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling at the cooling rate is from the first temperature to a second temperature that is less than melting temperatures of the at least two different metals. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling rate is at least 10 4  K/s. 
     
     
         5 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each metal salt comprises a chloride or hydrate form of the respective metal. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the heating rate is at least 10 3  K/s;   the first time is in a range of about 1 μs to about 10 s, inclusive;   the first temperature is in a range of about 1000 K to about 3000 K, inclusive; or   any combination of the above.   
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the loading comprises coating the substrate in a solution of the precursor metal salts and subsequently drying the coated substrate. 
     
     
         11 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a carbon-based structure, and the heating comprises providing an electric current to the substrate so as to cause Joule heating. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heating comprises Joule heating, radiative heating, microwave heating, laser heating, electron beam heating, spark discharge heating, or any combination of the foregoing. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two different metals has a standard molar entropy measured in J/mol-K that differs from an average of standard molar entropies for all of the least two different metals by no more than 20%. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two different metals has a standard molar entropy that is in a range of 25-45 J/mol-K, inclusive. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two different metals are transition metals. 
     
     
         20 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the homogeneous mixture is composed of at least seven metals. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the homogeneous mixture is composed of (i) Pd, Pt, Cu, Zn, Fe, Co, Ni, and P, or (ii) Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ir, and Pt. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the homogeneous mixture satisfies a chemical formula of (PdPt) 40 (CuZn) 30 (FeCoNi) 10 P 20 . 
     
     
         28 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A structure comprising:
 a metallic glass nanoparticle comprising a homogeneous mixture of at least two metals, and the homogeneous mixture forms a single amorphous solid; and   a substrate supporting the metallic glass nanoparticle thereon,   wherein the substrate is a carbon-based substrate or comprises a metal oxide, silica, zeolite, titania, or ceria.   
     
     
         31 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The structure of  claim 30 , wherein each element in the homogeneous mixture has a standard molar entropy that is in a range of 25-45 J/mol-K, inclusive. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The structure of  claim 30 , wherein the at least two metals are transition metals. 
     
     
         36 - 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . The structure of  claim 30 , wherein the homogeneous mixture is composed of at least seven metals. 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . The structure of  claim 30 , wherein the homogeneous mixture is composed of (i) Pd, Pt, Cu, Zn, Fe, Co, Ni, and P, or (ii) Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ir, and Pt. 
     
     
         43 . The structure of  claim 42 , wherein the homogeneous mixture satisfies a chemical formula of (PdPt) 40 (CuZn) 30 (FeCoNi) 10 P 20 . 
     
     
         44 - 49 . (canceled)