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To explain the unusual stability of undercooled liquids against crystallization, Frank hypothesized that the local structures of undercooled liquids contain a significant degree of icosahedral short-range order, which is incompatible with long-range periodicity. We present here the first direct experimental demonstration of Frank's complete hypothesis, showing a correlation between the nucleation barrier and a growing icosahedral short-range order with decreasing temperature in a Ti39.5Zr39.5Ni21 liquid. A new experimental facility, BESL (Beamline Electrostatic Levitation), was developed to enable the synchrotron x-ray structural studies on deeply undercooled, reactive liquids.

Using classical nucleation theory we consider transient nucleation occurring in a one-component, condensed system under isothermal conditions. We obtain an exact closed-form expression for the time dependent cluster populations. In addition, a more versatile approach is developed: a numerical simulation technique which models directly the reactions by which clusters are produced. This simulation demonstrates the evolution of cluster populations and nucleation rate in the transient regime. Results from the simulation are verified by comparison with exact analytical solutions for the steady state. Experimental methods for measuring transient nucleation are assessed, and it is demonstrated that the observed behavior depends on the method used. The effect of preexisting cluster distributions is studied. Previous analytical and numerical treatments of transient nucleation are compared to the solutions obtained from the simulation. The simple expressions of Kashchiev are shown to give good descriptions of the nucleation behavior.

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Virtually all liquids can be maintained for some time in a supercooled state, that is, at temperatures below their equilibrium melting temperatures, before eventually crystallizing. If cooled sufficiently quickly, some of these liquids will solidify into an amorphous solid, upon passing their glass transition temperature. Studies of these supercooled liquids reveal a considerable diversity in behaviour in their dynamical properties, particularly the viscosity. Angell characterized this in terms of their kinetic fragility. Previous synchrotron X-ray scattering studies have shown an increasing degree of short-and medium-range order that develops with increased supercooling. Here we demonstrate from a study of several metallic glass-forming liquids that the rate of this structural ordering as a function of temperature correlates with the kinetic fragility of the liquid, demonstrating a structural basis for fragility.

New short-range order data are presented for equilibrium and undercooled liquids of Ti and Ni. These were obtained from in situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements of electrostatically levitated droplets. While the short-range order of liquid Ni is icosahedral, consistent with Frank's hypothesis, significantly distorted icosahedral order is observed in liquid Ti. This is the first experimental observation of distorted icosahedral short-range order in any liquid, although this has been predicted by theoretical studies on atomic clusters.

We report on and characterize, via molecular dynamics (MD) studies, the evolution of the structure of Cu50Zr50 and Cu64Zr36 metallic glasses (MGs) as temperature is varied. Interestingly, a percolating icosahedral network appears in the Cu64Zr36 system as it is supercooled. This leads us to introduce a static length scale, which grows dramatically as this three dimensional system approaches the glass transition. Amidst interpenetrating connections, non-interpenetrating connections between icosahedra are shown to become prevalent upon supercooling and to greatly enhance the connectivity of the MG's icosahedral network. Additionally, we characterize the chemical compositions of the icosahedral networks and their components. These findings demonstrate the importance of non-interpenetrating connections for facilitating extensive structural networks in Cu-Zr MGs, which in turn drive dynamical slowing in these materials.