Enhanced glass-forming ability and mechanical properties of Zr65Cu17.5Al7.5Ni10 metallic glass by adding Fe

The main objective of the paper is to improve the plasticity and reduce the toxicity of the known Zr65Cu17.5Ni10Al7.5 alloy. A series of rod samples with diameter of 2 mm Zr65Cu17.5Al7.5Ni10-xFex (x = 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) were prepared by injection copper mold casting method. Appropriate addition of Fe can enhance GFA of the base alloy significantly. In addition, compared with the base alloy revealing no plastic deformation, partial substitution of Ni by Fe can also improve the compressive plasticity (εp) of alloys effectively. The enhanced plasticity of alloys can be attributed to the positive heat of mixing between Fe and Cu atoms. Alloy with 6% Fe exhibits the relatively good comprehensive properties, as a result of an excellent combination of both good GFA (ΔTx = 81 K) and remarkable plasticity (εp = 6.2%). Zr65Cu17.5Fe10Al7.5 metallic glass is environmentally friendly and has large deformation plasticity, making it a promising candidate for engineering applications.