Abstract:The glassy ribbons and bulk cylinders with the same compositions were prepared by suction casting and melt spinning, respectively. The influences of cooling rate on the microstructure, thermal stability and mechanical properties of metallic glasses were studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry, HRTEM and Nano Indenter. The type of the short ordered clusters in the glassy ribbons are the same as those in the glassy bulk cylinders, but more ordered clusters and less free volume can form in later because of the lower cooling rate during preparation. Consequently, the glassy ribbons have higher thermal stability, yield strength, Young''s Modulusr and hardness than the glassy bulk cylinders.