Volume and enthalpy relaxation in Zr55Cu30Ni5Al10 bulk metallic glass

Abstract The structural relaxation in a Zr 55 Cu 30 Ni 5 Al 10 bulk metallic glass was investigated by volume and enthalpy relaxation at various temperatures. The relaxation kinetics was well described by a stretched exponential relaxation function, Φ ( t ) = exp [ - ( t / τ ) β ] . The Kohlrausch index, β , ranged from 0.35 to 0.69, while the temperature dependence of relaxation time, τ was best fitted by the Vogel–Fulcher–Tanmmann formula, τ ( T ) = τ 0 exp D ∗ T 0 / ( T - T 0 ) , with τ 0  = 1.1 × 10 −14 s, D ∗  = 44.2 and T 0  = 311 K. Atomic volumes in the equilibrium liquid region were measured by the electrostatic levitation method and these volumes, together with volumes of relaxed glasses, were better described by the Cohen–Grest model than by the Cohen–Turnbull model.