The correlation between glass formation and hardness of the amorphous phase

We report a non-monotonous behavior of the hardness of amorphous Cu–Zr films as a function of composition, by applying a combinatorial deposition and nanoindentation method with unparalleled compositional resolution. Distinct peaks in hardness were identified at particular compositions to correlate well with the previously reported density peaks. Our results not only facilitate the discovery of new glass-forming alloys, but also raise the possibility of developing bulk metallic glasses with enhanced plasticity and/or ductility for engineering applications.