Artificial intelligence can recognize metallic glasses in vast compositional space with sparse data

Abstract Glass formation is frequently observed in metallic alloys. Machine learning has been applied to discover new metallic glasses. However, the incomplete understanding of glass formation hinders descriptor selection and material property representation. Here, we use X-ray diffraction spectra,...

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Main Authors: Weijie Xie, Yitao Sun, Chao Wang, Mingxing Li, Fucheng Li, Yanhui Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:npj Computational Materials
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41524-025-01753-9
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author Weijie Xie
Yitao Sun
Chao Wang
Mingxing Li
Fucheng Li
Yanhui Liu
author_facet Weijie Xie
Yitao Sun
Chao Wang
Mingxing Li
Fucheng Li
Yanhui Liu
author_sort Weijie Xie
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Glass formation is frequently observed in metallic alloys. Machine learning has been applied to discover new metallic glasses. However, the incomplete understanding of glass formation hinders descriptor selection and material property representation. Here, we use X-ray diffraction spectra, the essential tool for identifying amorphous structure, as an intermediate link. By representing spectra as images, we train generative models to produce high-fidelity spectra for all alloys in multicomponent alloy systems. Training with spectra from a tiny fraction of the total alloys is sufficient for accurate spectra generation, enabling the identification of compositional regions with a high probability of glass formation. The shift from numerical to image-based representation unlocks the potential of machine learning in the design of glass-forming alloys. Furthermore, our approach is applicable to a wide range of materials and spectroscopic techniques. We anticipate that this strategy will accelerate materials discovery across previously unexplored compositional and processing spaces.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2057-3960
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series npj Computational Materials
spelling doaj-art-2b667a99776248af9542b0d6bf4feeda2025-08-20T03:43:01ZengNature Portfolionpj Computational Materials2057-39602025-08-011111810.1038/s41524-025-01753-9Artificial intelligence can recognize metallic glasses in vast compositional space with sparse dataWeijie Xie0Yitao Sun1Chao Wang2Mingxing Li3Fucheng Li4Yanhui Liu5Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Glass formation is frequently observed in metallic alloys. Machine learning has been applied to discover new metallic glasses. However, the incomplete understanding of glass formation hinders descriptor selection and material property representation. Here, we use X-ray diffraction spectra, the essential tool for identifying amorphous structure, as an intermediate link. By representing spectra as images, we train generative models to produce high-fidelity spectra for all alloys in multicomponent alloy systems. Training with spectra from a tiny fraction of the total alloys is sufficient for accurate spectra generation, enabling the identification of compositional regions with a high probability of glass formation. The shift from numerical to image-based representation unlocks the potential of machine learning in the design of glass-forming alloys. Furthermore, our approach is applicable to a wide range of materials and spectroscopic techniques. We anticipate that this strategy will accelerate materials discovery across previously unexplored compositional and processing spaces.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41524-025-01753-9
spellingShingle Weijie Xie
Yitao Sun
Chao Wang
Mingxing Li
Fucheng Li
Yanhui Liu
Artificial intelligence can recognize metallic glasses in vast compositional space with sparse data
npj Computational Materials
title Artificial intelligence can recognize metallic glasses in vast compositional space with sparse data
title_full Artificial intelligence can recognize metallic glasses in vast compositional space with sparse data
title_fullStr Artificial intelligence can recognize metallic glasses in vast compositional space with sparse data
title_full_unstemmed Artificial intelligence can recognize metallic glasses in vast compositional space with sparse data
title_short Artificial intelligence can recognize metallic glasses in vast compositional space with sparse data
title_sort artificial intelligence can recognize metallic glasses in vast compositional space with sparse data
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41524-025-01753-9
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