Amorphous alloys, metallic glasses

SSAR is observed when the binary diffusion couples listed in Table 2.4 are heated to an appropriate reaction temperature, TR. Examples of typical values of JR are given in Table 2.4. It is well known that amorphous metallic alloys tend to crystallize in laboratory timescales upon heating to temperatures close to their glass-transition temperature, T% [2.16]. For a typical practical timescale (e.g., minutes), one can define crystallization temperature as the temperature at which a significant fraction of an amorphous sample undergoes crystallization in the specified time. The time required for an amorphous phase to crystallize can be identified with t 2 of Fig. 2.6 (see discussion in Sect 2.1.3). In the low temperature regime (well below Tg), atomic diffusion in amorphous alloys is... 

The introduction by Klement et al. in 1960 of a technique for the rapid quenching of metals paved the way for the preparation and use as catalysts of a new class of solid materials known as bimetallic glasses or amorphous metal alloys. 

Inspection of this list suggests that amorphous metallic alloys satisfy many of these criteria. This is partially true. Amorphous materials are a possible choice in some applications, and this list is growing with the advent of bulk metallic glasses. However, in many cases where conventional crystalline alloys must serve as the best available choice, they are either unavailable in the product form needed or lack some other desired properties. A slightly different set of attributes might be desired for resistance of hydrogen embrittlement. 

Metallic Glasses. Under highly speciali2ed conditions, the crystalline stmcture of some metals and alloys can be suppressed and they form glasses. These amorphous metals can be made from transition-metal alloys, eg, nickel—2irconium, or transition or noble metals ia combination with metalloid elements, eg, alloys of palladium and siUcon or alloys of iron, phosphoms, and carbon. 

Diffusion coefficients in amorphous solids such as oxide glasses and glasslike amorphous metals can be measured using any of the methods applicable to crystals. In this way it is possible to obtain the diffusion coefficients of, say, alkah and alkaline earth metals in silicate glasses or the diffusion of metal impurities in amorphous alloys. Unlike diffusion in crystals, diffusion coefficients in amorphous solids tend to alter over time, due to relaxation of the amorphous state at the temperature of the diffusion experiment. 

The precursor alloy is quenched to form small grains readily attacked by the caustic solution [31], Quenching can also enable specific intermetallic phases to be obtained, although this is less common. Yamauchi et al. [32-34] have employed a very fast quench to obtain a supersaturation of promoter species in the alloy. It is even possible to obtain an amorphous metal glass of an alloy, and Deng et al. [35] provide a review of this area, particularly with Ni, Ni-P, Ni-B, Ni-Co, and Ni-Co-B systems. The increased catalytic activity observed with these leached amorphous alloy systems can be attributed to either chemical promotion of the catalyzed reaction or an increased surface area of the leached catalyst, depending on the components present in the original alloy. Promotion with additives is considered in more detail later. 

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