Thermal behavior and melt fragility number of Cu_100-x Zr_x glassy alloys in terms of crystallization and viscous flow

Six Cu_100-xZr_x amorphous alloys (x in the range 35.7 - 60 at. percent) were prepared via chill block melt spinning (CBMS) method under low pressure Helium atmosphere. Their crystallization and viscous flow behavior was studied with the aid of Perkin Elmer DSC 2C and Perkin Elmer TMS 2 devices, respectively. The viscous flow temperature dependencies at a heating rate of 20 K min^-1 were interpreted on the basis of the f ree volume model. The DSC and TMS data were used to determine the fragility number m of Angell in three different ways as a function of alloy composition. It has been shown that the fragility number goes over a maximum and has a minimum at x very near to the alloy composition Cu₆₄Zr₃₆ in good agreement with the results of Donghua Xu et al. and Wang D et al. The experimental techniques and model interpretation used provide a tool for understanding the glass forming ability (GFA) and relaxation phenomena in metallic glasses.