Analyses of characteristics of atomic pairs in ferrous bulk metallic glasses using classification of bulk metallic glasses and pettifor map

Characteristics of atomic pairs in ferrous bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) have statistically been analyzed using digitized data on mixing enthalpy (ΔH mix {AB} ) based on the Miedema's model and local atomic arrangements for binary compounds listed in Pettifor map. The main element of the ternary ferrous BMGs tend to be the element with intermediate atomic radius in a system, which is different from most of the other BMGs. The ternary ferrous BMGs exhibits strict restrictions with respect to ΔH mix {AB} 's for the formation of ferrous BMGs. These tendency and restrictions are the necessity of multicomponent alloying for the formation of ferrous BMGs. The local atomic arrangements of BMGs were carried out for pseudo-binary systems in multicomponent BMGs by referring to the corresponding compositions in Pettiffor map with ratios of elements of 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 5:3. The analyses with respects to types of environment, coordination number, coordination notation and coordination symbol for binary compounds reveal the local atomic arrangements of BMGs containing a part of icosahedral clusters as a common basic atomic arrangements. This kind of statistical analyses using computers is useful for the further development of BMGs.