Microstructural evolution and homogeneous viscous flow behavior of a Cu–Zr based bulk metallic glass composites

Abstract

The high temperature compression behavior of Cu40Zr44Ag8Al8 rods with 6mm in diameter was investigated and compared with the literature data. Microstructure of the as-cast rods were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscope in the composites state with microscale Al3Zr particles embedded in the amorphous matrix. Deformation results show that the stress–strain behaviors of the bulk metallic glass composites (BMGCs) are strain rate and temperature dependent. In addition, SEM observations reveal that the initially spherical and randomly distributed microscale particles in the amorphous matrix deform to concave polygon in shape and align perpendicular to the load direction during the compression. Meanwhile nano-crystals precipitate continuously from the matrix and aggregate during deformation. Rheological analysis show that the BMGCs exhibit a transition from Newtonian to non-Newtonian in flow behavior dependent on the stain rate. Particles in the amorphous matrix have reinforcement effect on the BMGCs, but the deformation behavior is still dominated by the homogeneous flow of the amorphous matrix phase.