Synthesis of Sm–Al metallic glasses designed by molecular dynamics simulations

Solidification of the Sm-rich Al–Sm alloys has been studied using a newly developed Al–Sm embedded atom model potential by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We use descriptors for glass forming ability that have been previously validated for Al-rich Al–Sm alloys, and we predict that among the Sm-rich alloys the best glass formers have compositions between 65 and 75 at.% of Sm. To test this prediction, Al35Sm65 and Al25Sm75 alloys were synthesized by melt spinning. These alloys have been found to be good glass formers, in agreement with predictions from MD simulations. We also synthesized Al10Sm90, which according to MD results should have a low glass forming ability. Indeed, after the melt spinning, the Al10Sm90 was found to be crystalline as verified by multiple experimental characterization techniques. This is the first time that Sm-rich Al–Sm metallic glasses with enhanced glass forming ability have been experimentally synthesized. Our results also demonstrate the capability of specific structural descriptors to predict glass forming ability of Al-based alloys.