Measurements of volume, thermal expansion, and specific heat in Zr57Cu15.4Ni12.6Al10Nb5 and Zr58.5Cu15.6Ni12.8Al10.3Nb2.8 liquids and glasses

The temperature dependence of the specific volume, thermal expansion coefficient, and specific heat in the equilibrium, supercooled liquids, and glasses of the bulk metallic glass-forming alloys Zr57Cu15.4Ni12.6Al10Nb5 and Zr58.5Cu15.6Ni12.8Al10.3Nb2.8 are determined using the containerless electrostatic levitation technique. Such measurements have not been possible thus far because of rapid crystallization from the supercooled metastable liquids. The results show a decrease in the thermal expansion coefficient with decreasing temperature before the onset of the glass transition. The difference in the rate of decrease between the two alloys indicates larger structural contributions to the thermal expansion for the stronger liquid at high temperatures.