Effect of mechanical-annealing on the mechanical properties of a Zr-based bulk metallic glass

Abstract

The mechanical-annealing referred in this work is also named pre-strain, which is widely investigated in TRIP steel, stainless steel, magnesium alloy and aluminum alloy. In this case, we used preloading to input energy into a bulk metallic glass (BMG) to observe the changes in the structure and mechanical properties. We selected Zr[Formula: see text]Co[Formula: see text]Al[Formula: see text] BMG as a model material owning to its outstanding glass forming ability and excellent mechanical properties. The samples were kept at a constant pressure of 1900, 1700 and 1500 MPa (below the yield strength) for 40, 55 and 70 h. The study found out that the density of those samples increased after being pre-loaded. Then, the samples underwent aging treatment at room-temperature for more than 30 days after unloading. After re-compressing the samples, the results show that the yield strength and fracture strength of the samples decreased, and the amplitude of the serrated plastic flow increased during the plastic stage. Our finding might have some implications for understanding the plastic deformation of BMGs.