Superplastic deformation and crystallization behavior of Cu54Ni6Zr22Ti18 metallic-glass sheet

Superplastic deformation and crystallization behavior of a Cu54Ni6Zr22Ti18 metallic glass were investigated. A maximum elongation of 650% was obtained at 733 K at 1 × 10−2 s−1 from the sheet fabricated by squeeze copper-mold casting method. At low strain rates, the strain-rate-sensitivity exponent value was close to 1, suggesting that Newtonian-like behavior governed the plastic flow. At a high strain rate around 10−2 s−1, a transition from Newtonian to non-Newtonian behavior took place with decrease in m value. Large strain hardening by crystallization occurred during the course of deformation. The strain hardening was found to be caused by crystallization according to the analyses of the relation of true stress vs. testing time, T-T-T diagram and DSC characteristics. The time periods up to the strain before strain hardening at 733 K for the Cu54Ni6Zr22Ti18 metallic glass were similar to that of the Zr65Al10Ni10Cu15 metallic glass at 696 K as 180–300 s (3–5 min). This coincidence could be explained by comparison of their T-T-T diagrams showing that the incubation times for crystallization of the Cu BMG at 733 K and for Zr BMG at 696 K are similar.