This study first reports details of a successful arc-melting furnace in the production of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs). Also, the study presents the results of a statistical experiment evaluating critical processing parameters that can increase oxygen concentration and its effects on the glass forming ability (GFA) of two Zr-based BMGs. The experiments on Zr48Cu46.5Al4Nb1.5 BMG composite found that using low arc-current (200 A), short melting time (11 s), positive pressure of argon inert gas trapped in the synthesis chamber, and the absence of prior melting of a Ti-getter results in a lower oxygen contamination in the produced alloy. The second experiment using the Vitreloy 105 BMG alloy proved the previous findings.

The present work reports investigation on the Glass Forming Ability (GFA) of Zr-based Bulk Metallic Glasses (BMG’s) by microalloying with early transition metals. GFA was measured as the amorphous fraction formed in samples with different diameters using optical microscopy (OM) and image analysis techniques. Samples with the highest GFA had their oxygen content measured in a Leco RO-400. This study shows that additions of Molybdenum or Iron in a Zr48Cu(48-x)Al4Mx (M = Mo or Fe) alloys resulted in a minor GFA improvement, but far from the results reported in the literature with Nb additions in this system. Niobium microalloying to a Zr62Cu15.5Al10Ni(12.5-x)Nbx and (Zr55Cu30Al10)100-xNbx alloys have a deleterious effect on the GFA. Oxygen measurements of (Zr55Cu30Al10)99Nb1 and Zr62Cu15.5Al10Ni12.4Nb0.1 alloys have shown similar oxygen content, indicating that oxygen was not a limiting factor on this study. The amorphous fraction quantification from OM image analysis maintains the same fraction ratio from the heat released at the crystallization event from heating DSC analysis.