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  Radiguet, B. ; Blavette, D. ; Wanderka, N. ; Banhart, J. ; Sahoo, K.L.: Segregation-controlled nanocrystallization of Al-Ni-La metallic glass. Applied Physics Letters 92 (2008), p. 103126/1-3

10.1063/1.2897303

Abstract:
The early stage of devitrification of Al₈9Ni₆La₅ metallic glass was investigated using threedimensional atom probe (3D-AP). Even in the as-quenched amorphous state, nanometre-sized fluctuations of Ni and Al were observed. The Al-rich fluctuations act as nucleation sites for the crystallization at 443 K in which α-Al clusters with a number density up to 5×10²3m^-3 nucleate and grow to non-spherical, 12 nm large crystals. α-Al articles are almost pure in Al and are surrounded by a La-rich shell. It is deduced that La segregation controls the growth and limits the size of the α-Al nanocrystals.