Evolution of nanoscale morphology on fracture surface of brittle metallic glass

Abstract

The authors report the observations of periodic morphology evolution on fracture surface of a brittle metallic glassy ribbon, suggesting a wavy local stress intensity factor along the crack propagation. The authors find that the formation of nanoscale damage cavity structure is a common characteristic morphology on the fracture surfaces. On the surface of the hackle zone, these cavities assemble and generate the nanoscale swirling periodic corrugations. The elastic waves interfering with the plastic process zone on the crack front is proposed to explain such dynamic crack instability. The authors’ observations support the notion of an impinging effect of elastic waves on propagating crack front.