Development of long-period ordered structures during crystallisation of amorphous Mg80Cu10Y10 and Mg83Ni9Y8

The different transformations occurring during the crystallisation of amorphous Mg80Cu10Y10 and Mg83Ni9Y8 alloys have been elucidated. The formation of several unknown metastable phases was observed. The present work confirms that such phases exhibit long-period structures originated by the periodic alignment of (Y, TM)-layers (TM: transition metal). The long-period stacking-ordered phase, identified in the crystallised Ni-containing alloy, is stable at higher temperatures than that in the Cu-containing alloy. (orig.)