Abstract:Thermal diffusivity, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity of Al₈₆Gd₆TM₈ (TM = Cu, Ni, Co, Fe, Mn, Cr, Ti, Zr, Mo, Ta) glass-forming alloys in the temperature range of 300-880 K were determined by laser flash method. The temperatures of endothermic and exothermic reactions of the alloys were determined by differential scanning calorimetry method. The alloys were prepared by conventional arc-melting technique under helium atmosphere. All the alloys studied exhibit strong supercooling of the liquidus temperatures up to 80 K, which indicates their good glass-forming ability. The specific heat capacity of the alloys achieves the Dulong–Petit’s value in the temperature range of 350-550 K except Al₈₆Cr₈Gd₆ and Al₈₆Zr₈Gd₆ compositions. The values of both thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity of the alloy studied are significantly lower than those for pure aluminum. It is found that embedding 14% (mole fraction) of transition elements (Gd+ТM) in the aluminum matrix leads to significant decrease in the absolute magnitudes of both thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity in crystalline state. The thermal conductivity of glass-forming Al₈₆Gd₆TM₈ alloys is strongly affected by directed chemical bonding between alloy components.

Key words: Al-based alloys; thermal properties; specific heat capacity; thermal conductivity; thermal diffusivity