Towards better metallic glasses

Researchers have used state-of-the-art computer simulation to test a theory from the 1950s that when atoms organize themselves into 3D pentagons they supress crystallisation. The theory has been a cornerstone of metallic glass development ever since from high-tech aerospace materials to the covers of our mobile phones. But until now, the mechanism by which these 3D pentagons could stop the formation of crystal nuclei has been unknown.