A comparison of structural relaxation in Ni64B36 and Fe83B17 metallic glasses

Abstract

An investigation has been made of the structural changes that accompany low-temperature annealing (structural relaxations) in two different metallic glasses using X-ray and neutron diffraction, calorimetry, and density measurements. The structure of Fe83B17 having the archetypal composition of transition-metal – metalloid glasses appears to be more susceptible to structural relaxation than Ni64B36 glass with a higher metalloid content. This behaviour is reflected in the smaller enthalpy of relaxation of the Ni64B36 glass. The structural changes observed are discussed in terms of current structural models.