Quantitatively defining interconnecting-zone in metallic glasses

The interconnecting-zone(I-zone) concept is important for understanding the nature of metallic glasses, especially the thermal-physical property change around the glass transition. The analyses of the pair-distribution function measured at 15 K using high intensity neutron source on the as-cast amorphous state and its crystallized counterpart of a Zr-Cu-Al alloy provided solid evidence on the I-zone concept. Together with the ab-initio molecular-dynamics simulations, it enables us to quantitatively describe this I-zone concept. The nearest atom pairs in the I-zone were also analyzed. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.