Rapid identification of highly glass-forming alloys in Cu-Zr binary system by laser glazing

The high-efficient experimental identification of novel metallic glasses with high glass-forming ability (GFA) is crucial for breaking through the traditional trial-and-error approach, which is time-consuming and costly. A rapid detection method for highly glass-forming alloys using laser glazing was introduced and validated in a classic binary Cu-Zr system with well-known GFA across a wide compositional range. The vitrification degree induced by laser glazing was assessed for each selected alloy and shows a strong correlation with GFA determined by traditional rapid solidification methods. The combination of experimental kinetic analysis and theoretical finite element simulation revealed possible thermodynamic mechanisms of glass formation and crystallization in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) formed by laser glazing. The results offer insights into not only the rapid identification method of highly glass-forming alloys using laser glazing but also the mechanism of glass formation under fast heating and cooling processes, providing guidance on the construction of bulk metallic glasses through laser additive manufacturing.