Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
The effect of composition on the time-dependent nucleation rates in Zr65Al7.5Ni10CU17.5 glasses is investigated to better understand nucleation processes in partitioning systems. Asquenched glasses were annealed to produce a homogeneous dispersion of nanocrystals within the amorphous matrix. The nucleation rates were estimated from the number of crystallites produced as function of annealing time, using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Experimental results for single and multiple-step annealing treatments are presented. The nucleation results are discussed briefly within the time-dependent model of the classical theory of nucleation.