Ti-based bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) have attracted much attention due to their outstanding properties such as high specific strength and good anti-corrosion properties. [1,2] Among the typical light-metal-based BMGs, Al-based BMGs possess poor glass-forming ability (GFA) with a maximum size of only 1 mm, [3,4] while most Mg-based BMGs are highly brittle even under compression. [5,6] By contrast, Ti-based BMGs have a higher probability for practical application than Mg-based and Al-based BMGs. In recent years, a number of new Ti-based BMGs have been discovered and some of them exhibit superior GFA with a critical size larger than 1 cm, such as Ti-Zr-Cu-Ni-Be [7][8][9] and Ti-Zr-Cu-Pd-Sn. [10] However, the developed centimeter-sized Ti-based alloys have complicated composition with at least five constituent elements. Then it is meaningful to explore Ti-based alloys with high GFA and fewer constituent elements, just like these in Pd-based glassy alloys (e.g., Pd-Si, [11] Pd-Cu-Si, [12] and Pd-Ni-Cu-P [13] BMGs) despite of that it would be difficult. According to our knowledge, Ti 45 Zr 20 Be 35 and Ti 40 Zr 25 Be 35 glassy alloys [14] with a critical diameter of 6 mm, may possess the best GFA in Ti-based ternary systems. The largest size of Ti-based quaternary BMGs is also only 8 mm obtained in Ti-Zr-Be-Cr [14] and Ti-Zr-Be-V [15] alloy systems. So further
COMMUNICATIONWe report a new Ti 40 Zr 26 Be 28 Fe 6 bulk metallic glass designed by slightly decreasing Ti/Zr concentration ratio based on the newly developed Ti 41 Zr 25 Be 28 Fe 6 bulk metallic glass. The Ti 40 Zr 26 Be 28 Fe 6 glassy alloy exhibits high thermal stability and the width of the supercooled liquid region for this alloy is up to 100 K. By conventional copper mold suction casting method, Ti 40 Zr 26 Be 28 Fe 6 fully glassy rod with a diameter of 10 mm can be successfully obtained. Ti 40 Zr 26 Be 28 Fe 6 glassy alloy also possesses excellent mechanical properties such as a high specific strength of 4.03 Â 10 5 Nm kg À1 and an obvious compressive plastic strain of 7.4%, which make it possible to be used as novel aerospace materials.ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS 2013, 15, No. 8