Suppression of crystallization in a Ca-based bulk metallic glass by compression

We have studied the crystallization kinetics of Ca₄₀Mg₂₅Cu₃₅ bulk metallic glass under isothermal annealing in the supercooled liquid region, with and without applied stress, by in-situ high-energy synchrotron x-ray diffraction. We observed that without stress, crystallization started from the very beginning of isothermal annealing. However, when a uniaxial compressive stress was applied during isothermal annealing, no change in atomic order was observed at the beginning. Thereafter, the glassy structure relaxed, but still without noticeable evidence of crystallization. It is suggested that the applied compressive stress restricted the atomic mobility, which suppressed crystallization.