Thermodynamic analysis of glass-forming ability in a Ca-Mg-Zn ternary alloy system

Abstract

A thermodynamic analysis of the onset driving force for crystallization of super-cooled liquid has been conducted to explain strong composition dependency of the glass forming ability in the Ca-Mg-Zn ternary alloy system observed experimentally. In addition to the onset driving force, other energetic and kinetic factors are discussed to explain the observed glass stabilities. The universality of this method is discussed, thus establishing an analytic approach for determining the most stable glass in a given alloy system.