Percolation dissipation of the α and β processes in metallic glasses
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Dynamic processes in glasses are crucial for unraveling fundamentals of the glass transition and material properties. A recent theoretical framework proposes a 'double-percolation' scenario for theand-relaxation processes. While supported by simulations, no experimental validation has so far been presented. We here conduct a comprehensive analysis of the relaxation dissipation of more than 300 mechanical spectra of metallic glass samples. Our study yields two key findings, both aligning with the double-percolation theory: (i) The-relaxation has a damping factor of 0.6 (0.05), independent of material composition, probing frequency, and thermal history-a signature that is consistent with the percolation of immobile atomic clusters proposed to characterize the-relaxation. (ii) The-relaxation dissipation, though of variable magnitude and dependent on external factors, can be rationalized as caused by the percolation of mobile atomic entities driving configurational rearrangements; thus for the-relaxation we show that certain atomic motions are neither dissipative nor induce configurational changes. These results bridge theoretical predictions with experimental observations, suggesting a generally applicable picture of the atomic-scale mechanisms of relaxation dissipation in glass formers.
Source: Reports on Progress in Physics
Language: English
Subfield: Materials Chemistry
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,680
OpenAlex ID: W7212251003