| The structure, composition and crystallization of the surface and near surface region of the Pd and Fe based metallic glasses were investigated using RHEED, TEM, AES, EELS, EDS, XRD, DSC, and catalytic measurements, and compared to underlying bulk. Annealing in an active atmosphere of the Fischer-Tropsch reaction conditions induces partial crystallization, which is surface biased in its nature. Catalytic selectivity correlates to near surface crystallization. Surface segregation and oxidation create the near-surface concentration gradients which constitute an additional driving force for the near-surface biased crystallization. The results amply demonstrate the usefulness of RHEED combined with AES, in studies of near surface regions of amorphous, partially crystallized and fully crystallized metallic glass alloys. |
