Ductile high strength microwires from glassy nanosteel alloys

Existing amorphous Fe-based microwires are used primarily for non-structural magnetic applications due to limitations in tensile ductility which is less than 2% including elastic strain. In this research, exceptionally ductile microwires with tensile ductility up to 8% and with high strengths up to 4.8 GPa were produced by Taylor–Ulitovsky method from glass forming Fe-based alloys. Tensile ductility up to 8% is reported. The underlying reason for such unique property combination in the microwires is a formation of enabling type of microstructure with ability for shear band arresting and blunting. Specific features of multiple shear band interaction with microwire microstructure and with each other resulting in global ductility of the materials are discussed.

► In this study we produced high strength microwires with adequate ductility from Fe-based glass forming alloy.
► Structure and properties of the produced microwires were studied in detail.
► Deformation mechanisms responsible for exclusive property combination in the microwires were identified and analyzed.