TY - JOUR A1 - Riechers, Birte A1 - Das, Amlan A1 - Dufresne, Eric A1 - Derlet, Peter M. A1 - Maaß, Robert T1 - Intermittent cluster dynamics and temporal fractional diffusion in a bulk metallic glass N2 - Glassy solids evolve towards lower-energy structural states by physical aging. This can be characterized by structural relaxation times, the assessment of which is essential for understanding the glass’ time-dependent property changes. Conducted over short times, a continuous increase of relaxation times with time is seen, suggesting a time-dependent dissipative transport mechanism. By focusing on micro-structural rearrangements at the atomic-scale, we demonstrate the emergence of sub-diffusive anomalous transport and therefore temporal fractional diffusion in a metallic glass, which we track via coherent x-ray scattering conducted over more than 300,000 s. At the longest probed decorrelation times, a transition from classical stretched exponential to a power-law behavior occurs, which in concert with atomistic simulations reveals collective and intermittent atomic motion. Our observations give a physical basis for classical stretched exponential relaxation behavior, uncover a new power-law governed collective transport regime for metallic glasses at long and practically relevant time-scales, and demonstrate a rich and highly non-monotonous aging response in a glassy solid, thereby challenging the common framework of homogeneous aging and atomic scale diffusion. KW - Glassy solids KW - Fractional diffusion KW - Coherent x-ray scattering PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-608015 DO - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-50758-3 VL - 15 IS - 1 SP - 1 EP - 9 PB - Springer Science and Business Media LLC AN - OPUS4-60801 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -