The CuZrAl bulk metallic glass with minor-addition of Fe was prepared by rapid quenching method. The structures were examined by X-ray diffraction （XRD）. The effect of Fe on the glass-forming ability was studied by differential scanning calorimetry （DSC）. The minor-addition of Fe obviously extends the supercooled liquid region ΔTx. The plastic strain of the Cu44Zr48Al7Fe bulk metallic glass is about 1.5%. The microstructures were examined by transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. It is found that when 1%-2% Fe （mole fraction） were introduced into the CuZrAl alloy matrix, nanoscale phase separation occurs in the as-prepared Cu44Zr48Al7Fe bulk metallic glass.
The effects of Y addition on the structural and mechanical properties of CuZrAl bulk metallic glass（BMG） were studied.The results show that the glass forming ability of CuZrAl system is improved by the addition of Y and the fracture strength decreases with Y addition due to the reduction of binding energy induced by Y.The fracture surface is dominated by vein-like patterns in Cu45Zr48Al7 bulk metallic glass,and changes to smooth regions in Cu46Zr42Al7Y5 BMG.TEM observation shows that Cu45Zr48Al7 BMG has a composite microstructure of nanocrystalline phases dispersed in amorphous matrix.However,the Cu46Zr42Al7Y5 BMG shows a fully amorphous structure.
