Ductile bulk metallic glass by controlling structural heterogeneities

A prerequisite to utilize the full potential of structural heterogeneities for improving the room-temperature plastic deformation of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) is to understand their interaction with the mechanism of shear band formation and propagation. This task requires the ability to artificially create heterogeneous microstructures with controlled morphology and orientation. Here, we analyze the effect of the designed heterogeneities generated by imprinting on the tensile mechanical behavior of the Zr52.5Ti5Cu18Ni14.5Al10 BMG by using experimental and computational methods. The imprinted material is elastically heterogeneous and displays anisotropic mechanical properties: strength and ductility increase with increasing the loading angle between imprints and tensile direction. This behavior occurs through shear band branching and their progressive rotation. Molecular dynamics and finite element simulations indicate that shear band branching and rotation originates at the interface between the heterogeneities, where the characteristic atomistic mechanism responsible for shear banding in a homogeneous glass is perturbed

Ductile bulk metallic glass by controlling structural heterogeneities

A prerequisite to utilize the full potential of structural heterogeneities for improving the room-temperature plastic deformation of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) is to understand their interaction with the mechanism of shear band formation and propagation. This task requires the ability to artificially create heterogeneous microstructures with controlled morphology and orientation. Here, we analyze the effect of the designed heterogeneities generated by imprinting on the tensile mechanical behavior of the ZrTiCuNiAl BMG by using experimental and computational methods. The imprinted material is elastically heterogeneous and displays anisotropic mechanical properties: strength and ductility increase with increasing the loading angle between imprints and tensile direction. This behavior occurs through shear band branching and their progressive rotation. Molecular dynamics and finite element simulations indicate that shear band branching and rotation originates at the interface between the heterogeneities, where the characteristic atomistic mechanism responsible for shear banding in a homogeneous glass is perturbed

Designed heterogeneities improve the fracture reliability of a Zr-based bulk metallic glass

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) have been reported to have large variability in mode I fracture toughness. In this study, alternating soft and hard regions were created in a Zr₅₂.₅Ti₅Cu₁₈Ni₁₄.₅Al₁₀ (at%) BMG via mechanical imprinting at room temperature. While only 50% of as-cast samples demonstrated plastic deformation during mode I fracture tests, 100% of imprinted samples demonstrated measurable plasticity and the scatter in measured mode I fracture toughness was significantly reduced. Mechanical treatments show promise for improving the fracture reliability of BMGs.Keywords: Fracture toughness, Fracture morphology, Shear bands, Ductility, Bulk metallic glasse

Structural aspects of elasto-plastic deformation of a Zr-based bulk metallic glass under uniaxial compression

The structural rearrangements occurring during compressive deformation of a plastically deformable Zr$_{52.5}$Ti$_{5}$Cu$_{18}$Ni$_{14.5}$Al$_{10}$ bulk metallic glass have been investigated in situ using high energy synchrotron X-rays. It was found that in the elastic regime, the atomic distances at both short and medium range order vary linearly with macroscopic stress where the atomic bonds in short range order appear significantly stiffer than medium range order. Upon elastic loading, a small fraction of bonds in the first shell is broken in the loading direction whereas some new bonds are formed in the transverse direction. Atomic strain–stress correlation at medium range order deviates from linearity at the onset of plastic deformation which was correlated to the activation of irreversible STZs. This was confirmed by quantifying the amount of atomic shear strain value during loading. The length scale of 12.5 Å indicated the largest shear strain and is thought to be the most effective length scale in the formation of STZs. The typical fracture angle of this BMG was explained by the orientation of maximum atomic shear strain at the onset of major shear band formation

Structural aspects of elasto-plastic deformation of a Zr-based bulk metallic glass under uniaxial compression

The structural rearrangements occurring during compressive deformation of a plastically deformable Zr$_{52.5}$Ti$_{5}$Cu$_{18}$Ni$_{14.5}$Al$_{10}$ bulk metallic glass have been investigated in situ using high energy synchrotron X-rays. It was found that in the elastic regime, the atomic distances at both short and medium range order vary linearly with macroscopic stress where the atomic bonds in short range order appear significantly stiffer than medium range order. Upon elastic loading, a small fraction of bonds in the first shell is broken in the loading direction whereas some new bonds are formed in the transverse direction. Atomic strain–stress correlation at medium range order deviates from linearity at the onset of plastic deformation which was correlated to the activation of irreversible STZs. This was confirmed by quantifying the amount of atomic shear strain value during loading. The length scale of 12.5 Å indicated the largest shear strain and is thought to be the most effective length scale in the formation of STZs. The typical fracture angle of this BMG was explained by the orientation of maximum atomic shear strain at the onset of major shear band formation