Influence of minor alloying additions on the glass-forming ability of Mg–Ni–La bulk metallic glasses

Bulk metallic glasses of Mg60Ni23.6YxLa(16.4−x) and Mg65Ni20YxLaMM(15−x) with 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 at.% have been produced by injection casting. For the La-containing alloy a maximum amorphous diameter of 4 mm for x = 0.5 and 0.75 was obtained. The LaMM-containing alloy showed a maximum amorphous diameter of 2 mm for x = 0 and 0.25 but decreased to 1 mm with further Y additions. The glass-forming ability of the Mg60Ni23.6La16.4 alloy decreased when La is partially substituted by small amounts of small atoms (Si or B) or by large atoms (Y and Si).