Combustion behavior and mechanism of Cu46Zr46Al8 bulk metallic glass in oxygen-enriched environments

The present work used a specially designed experimental apparatus with an in situ measurement system to study the combustion of a Cu46Zr46Al8 bulk metallic glass (BMG). This material exhibited more violent and much more rapid combustion compared with its crystalline counterpart. The combustion mechanism was explored by evaluating the associated thermodynamics and kinetics and the effects of various crucial factors on the combustion behavior. The present findings improve our understanding of the combustion mechanisms of metastable metallic materials and also provide guidelines for the development of novel BMGs as advanced energetic materials.