Nanophase processing of amorphous alloys

Since the pioneering work on the formation of amorphous alloys by Duwez and coworkers using rapid quenching, a number of different strategies for producing metallic glasses have emerged. However, the problem of processing bulk amorphous alloys remains an elusive goal. We have been exploring the possibilities of using a nanophase ultrafine amorphous particles, of approximately 5 nm, that can be compacted into bulk forms in situ. We have used both joule heating and magnetron sputtering methods to synthesize amorphous alloys of NiTi, NiTb, PdY, and Ti1Al. These alloys were characterized by X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. Preliminary results on sintering, crystallization, and mechanical properties of these nanophase materials are discussed.