Significant plasticity and atomic-scale deformation mechanism of high glass-forming Zr-Cu-Ni-Ti-Al bulk glassy alloys

• Published in: Journal of non-crystalline solids 2021-08, Vol.566, p.120897, Article 120897
• Main Authors: Chen, Shuangshuang, Qi, Kai, Yin, Jun, Zou, Jiahua, Song, Peidi, Peng, Guosheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atomic affinity; Atomic size; Bulk glassy alloys; Glass-forming ability; Plasticity
• ISSN: 0022-3093; 1873-4812
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2021.120897

•High glass-forming Zr-Cu-Ni-Al-Nb bulk glassy alloys were successfully synthesized.•The Zr65.4Cu12Ni9.6Ti6Al7 glassy alloy exhibits the best plastic strain of 29.6%.•The large plasticity was ascribed to small differences in atomic size and affinity. The authors report a series of monolithic Zr(65.4-x)Cu(12+x)Ni9.6Ti6Al7 (x = 0, 3, 6, 9 at.%) bulk glassy alloys with significant room-temperature plasticity and high glass-forming ability (GFA). Upon substitution of Cu for Zr, the GFA of glassy alloys is gradually increased, and the alloy possesses a critical casting size up to 10 mm when x=9. On the contrary, the plasticity is evidently increased with decreasing of Cu content in the glassy alloys, and the alloy exhibits the best plastic strain of 29.6% when x=0. Theoretical calculations indicate that the small differences in atomic sizes and atomic affinity among constituent elements should be necessary before pronounced plastic deformation can occur.