Improved Synthesis of Bulk Metallic Glasses by Current‐Assisted Copper Mold Casting

The amorphous alloys, especially the bulk metallic glasses (BMGs), possess special properties, making them very attractive for applications as structural and functional materials. The most important criterion for amorphization is that during cooling from the liquid state crystal nucleation and growth is avoided. The casting technologies currently available do not allow preparation of amorphous parts with complicated geometries. A DC electrical current applied between the molten metal and the mold during the ejection may inhibit heterogeneous nucleation by modifying the surface tension of the liquid alloy. More, by reducing the surface tension, the molten alloy flows better, filling even complicated molds. Using this new technique, the casting processes may become reproducible and can be relatively easily scaled up to the industrial requirements for mass production.