Experimental characterization of plastic flow initiation in a bulk metallic glass via intermittent compression test

Intermittently plastic compression tests of the Zr52.5Cu17.9Ni14.6Al10Ti5 bulk metallic glass were performed under a geometrically constrained condition at different cross-head displacement rates. A flow stress-overshoot phenomenon was observed during the macroscopically plastic deformation. It was found that there is a close correlation between the stress-overshoot intensity and the spatial density of shear bands. The stress-overshoot intensity can be used as a parameter to characterize the ability of plastic flow initiation caused by the spatial nucleation of shear bands in the bulk metallic glass. The micromechanisms of shear band multiplication were discussed.

► Intermittent compression test of a Zr-based BMG under a geometrically constrained condition.
► Flow stress-overshoot phenomenon during the macroscopically plastic deformation of the BMG.
► The stress-overshoot intensity can characterize the plastic flow initiation in the BMG.
► The micromechanisms of shear band multiplication in BMGs.