Size-dependent plastic stability of Zr-based metallic glass

The size effect on the plastic stability of a Zr-based metallic glass was investigated. It was found that, by geometrically decreasing the sample size, the metallic glass displayed a transition of unstable-metastable-stable plastic deformation, indicating an obvious extrinsic size effect on the plastic stability of the metallic glass. The size effect was explained from the view point of plastic zone and elastic energy dissipation. This finding implies that the present Zr metallic glass is ductile in nature and its plastic deformation can be stabilized intrinsically or extrinsically in suitable conditions.