Glass transition by gelation in a phase separating binary alloy. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • We use molecular dynamics simulations to show that glass transition in a model phase separating amorphous alloy, Cu(50)Nb(50), occurs by gelation. At the glass transition, a mechanically stiff, percolating network of atoms with icosahedral local packing forms at the interfaces between compositionally enriched regions. This low-energy network halts coarsening of the phase-separated structure and imparts shear resistance. These features of glass transition are remarkably similar to gelation processes in polymeric and colloidal gels.

published proceedings

  • Phys Rev Lett

altmetric score

  • 7

author list (cited authors)

  • Baumer, R. E., & Demkowicz, M. J.

citation count

  • 29

complete list of authors

  • Baumer, RE||Demkowicz, MJ

publication date

  • April 2013