A diffraction study of Co81.5B18.5 binary metallic glass

Neutron and X-ray diffraction experiments are made on Co81.5B18.5 metallic glass. The neutron scattering cross section for boron is greater than that for cobalt, and the structure factor obtained with neutrons is rather different from that obtained with X-rays, which has the usual characteristic form. These structure factors, and the reduced RDF's which are derived from them can be qualitatively explained in terms of the dominant contributions from the metal—metal and metal—metalloid correlations. The local topological order in Co81.5B18.5 appears to be similar to that of other transition metal—metalloid glasses, with a metal—metalloid distance slightly shorter than the metal—metal spacing and a coordination number close to 12.