(189n) A Comparison of Crystalline and Icosahedral Order in Ag6Cu4 and CuAu Alloys

By utilizing molecular dynamics, we can compare crystalline and icosahedral order during crystal growth in Ag₆Cu₄ and CuAu alloys. As temperature is decreased, the Ag₆Cu₄ alloy growth rate decreases, whereas the CuAu alloy shows a growth rate increase. With that being said, the nucleation process in the Ag₆Cu₄ alloy is immediate when on a Pt interface but when on a Cu interface, the process exhibits a slower rate. The crystallization process for the CuAu alloy on a Pt interface occurs over a longer period of time than that of the Ag₆Cu₄ alloy, but in the vicinity of a Cu interface, the time interval is considerably slow. By changing the amount of supercooling and varying the interface, we are able to examine the close-packed (CP) and icosahedral (Ih) order exhibited and understand how these changes impact the system.