Effect of Residual Stress on Mechanical Property of Monolithic Bulk Metallic Glass

Abstract

Mechanical treatments such as deep rolling are known to affect the strength and toughness of metallic glass due to the residual stress. It is well known that compressive residual stress states usually enhance the mechanical properties in conventional metallic materials. We present investigations on the change of fracture behavior related with mechanical properties of “brittle” bulk metallic glass by cold rolling at room temperature. Improvement of the intrinsic plasticity is observed not only after constrained cyclic compression but also after cold rolling. Moreover, neither nanocrystallization nor phase separation occurs during deformation. By these findings we provide a unique fundamental basis by considering the introduction of structural inhomogeneity and ductility improvement in metallic glasses. The experimental evidence clearly supports that such an inhomogeneous glassy can be produced by residual stress in well known “brittle” bulk metallic glasses, and does not depend on a specific pinpointed chemical composition.