Effect of manipulating atomic scale heterogeneity on plasticity in Mg-based bulk metallic glasses

This paper investigates the effect of manipulating atomic scale heterogeneity on plasticity in Mg-based bulk metallic glasses (BMGs). First, we show that tailoring combinations of bonding energy among constituent elements in Mg-based BMGs results in local structural and/or chemical heterogeneity, which can influence the formation and propagation of the shear bands during deformation. Secondly, we show that by controlling cooling rate during vitrification, it is possible to modulate heterogeneity and thereby influence the viscous flow in supercooled liquid region, which is closely related to mechanical properties in BMGs. These findings suggest that optimization of heterogeneity by controlling the cooling rate as well as tailoring combinations of constituent elements could enhance plasticity in various BMGs.