Bulk amorphous refractory glasses based on the Ni(-Cu-)-Ti(-Zr)-Al alloy system

Abstract

Bulk amorphous alloys based on quaternary Ni—Zr—Ti—Al alloy system, and the extension of this quaternary system to higher order alloys by the addition of one or more alloying elements, methods of casting such alloys, and articles made of such alloys are provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A glass forming alloy consisting of an alloy having a composition given by:
 Ni 100-a-b-c-d  Ti a Zr b Al c Cu d , where 15<a<18, 27<b<30, 9<c<11, 3<d<7. 
 
     
     
       2. The glass forming alloy described in  claim 1  wherein the alloy has a ΔTsc of more than 40° C. 
     
     
       3. The glass forming alloy described in  claim 1  wherein the alloy has a Vickers hardness greater than 700 Kg/mm 2 . 
     
     
       4. The glass forming alloy described in  claim 1  wherein the alloy has a yield strength of greater than 2.5 GPa. 
     
     
       5. The glass forming alloy described in  claim 1  wherein the alloy has a Young's modulus of greater than 140 GPa. 
     
     
       6. The glass forming alloy described in  claim 1  wherein the alloy has a ratio of glass transition temperature to liquidus temperature of around 0.6 or more. 
     
     
       7. The glass forming alloy described in  claim 1  wherein the alloy is substantially amorphous. 
     
     
       8. The glass forming alloy described in  claim 1  wherein the alloy contains a ductile crystalline phase precipitate. 
     
     
       9. The glass forming alloy described in  claim 1  wherein the critical cooling rate is less than about 1,000° C./sec. 
     
     
       10. A glass forming alloy consisting of an alloy having a composition given by:
 Ni 100-a-b-c-d Ti a Zr b Al c CU d Ni 100-a-b-c-d Ti a Zr b Al c Cu d , where 15<a<18, 27<b<30, 9<c<11, 3<d<7, and a+b+c+d is in the range of from 58 to 61. 
 
     
     
       11. The glass forming alloy described in  claim 10  wherein the critical cooling rate is less than about 1,000° C./sec. 
     
     
       12. A three dimensional article made from the alloy of  claim 1  having an amorphous phase. 
     
     
       13. A three dimensional article made from the alloy of  claim 10  having an amorphous phase. 
     
     
       14. The glass forming alloy of  claim 1  having a composition of Ni 40 Ti 16 Zr 28 Al 10 Cu 6 . 
     
     
       15. The glass forming alloy of  claim 1  having a composition of Ni 40 Ti 17 Zr 28 Al 10 Cu 5 . 
     
     
       16. A Ni-based glass forming alloy consisting of Ni, Ti, Zr, and Al, wherein a critical casting thickness of the glass forming alloy is 2 mm or more, wherein a content of Al is about 8 to about 17 atomic percent, wherein the critical casting thickness is a maximum thickness for which fully amorphous strips are obtained by metal mold casting. 
     
     
       17. The Ni-based glass forming alloy of claim 16, wherein the atomic percent of Al is greater than 8 and less than 12. 
     
     
       18. The Ni-based glass forming alloy of claim 16, wherein a content of Zr is about 25 to about 37 atomic percent. 
     
     
       19. The Ni-based glass forming alloy of claim 16, wherein a content of Zr is 29 to about 37 atomic percent, wherein the Ni-based glass forming alloy is a bulk amorphous alloy. 
     
     
       20. A Ni-based glass forming alloy consisting of Ni, Ti, Zr, Al, TM, ETM and AM, given by the formula:
   (Ni 1-x TM x ) a ((TiZr) 1-y ETM y ) b (Al 1-z AM z ) c      
       wherein a is in the range of from 37-49, b is in the range of 38 to 52, c is in the range of 8 to 12 atomic percentages; wherein ETM is a metal selected from the group consisting of Hf, Nb, Ta, V, Cr, Mo, and W, TM is a transition metal selected from the group of Cu, Co, Fe, Mn, and AM is an additive material selected from the group of 
       Si, Sn, Ge, B, Sb and wherein x is less than 0.2, y is less than 0.2, z is less than about 0.3 and the content of Ti is more than 13 atomic percent and the Zr content is more than 30 atomic percent and wherein a critical casting thickness of the glass forming alloy is 0.5 mm or more.