The effect of hydrogen charging on Ln-based amorphous materials

In present work, the effects of hydrogen charging on Ln-based (Ln=La,Ce) bulk-metallic glasses (BMG) are studied. The (La0.5 Ce0.5) 65 Al10 Co25 were charged with hydrogen by an electrochemical method in an alkali solution. The hydrogen concentration in the sample after a 36 h charge can reach as high as 1286 w-ppm. With the presence of hydrogen atoms, the hardness of specimen increased by 80% compared to the as-cast samples. The structural evolution of the amorphous matrix due to the hydrogen-uptake process was investigated by the high-energy x-ray scattering technique. The sample surface was crystallized after hydrogen charging. X-ray diffraction measurements revealed broad crystalline peaks superimposed on an amorphous-scattering pattern. The crystalline phase grew from the surface to at least one hundred microns deep into the amorphous matrix. The atomic arrangements of both amorphous and crystalline phases were characterized by the atomic pair-distribution function.