An SANS Study of Decomposition Kinetics in Amorphous Cu_(12.5)Ni_(10)Zr_(41)Ti_(14)Be_(22.5)

Phase decomposition in amorphous Cu12.5Ni10Zr411Ti14Be22.5 alloy as annealed in the super-cooled liquid range was studied by applying small angle neutron scattering (SANS). As annealed between 600 K and 700 K, the alloy was observed to decompose into two new amorphous phases,with the second phase precipitates embedded in the matrix of the first. Long time annealing of the alloy results in crystallization in addition to evolution of the decomposed microstructure.The kinetic diagram of the decomposition and crystallization for this alloy is given. The second phase precipitates have several nanometers in size and occupy a quite low volume fraction. The decomposition of the supercooled liquid in overall temperature range exhibits the features of spinodal reaction.