Structure and Corrosion Resistance of Ca₅₀Mg₂₀Cu₃₀ Bulk Metallic Glasses

The ternary Ca₅₀Mg₂₀Cu₃₀ bulk metallic glass with thickness of 1 mm and width of 10 mm was successfully fabricated by conventional copper-mold casting method. The structural characterization of the alloy in the “as-cast” and after-annealing states was carried out using x-ray diffraction method. The corrosion behaviors of the glassy and crystalline samples were studied by electrochemical measurements and immersion tests in a 5% NaCl solution at room temperature. The amorphous alloy showed higher corrosion resistance than crystalline samples. The post-test analyses were conducted by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy to examine the damage and chemical composition of the investigated surfaces.