Designing bulk metallic glass and glass matrix composites in martensitic alloys

To circumvent the limited plasticity of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs), heterogeneous materials with glassy matrix and different type and length-scale of heterogeneities (micrometer-sized second phase particles or fibers, nanocrystals in a glassy matrix, phase separated regions, variations in short-range order by clustering) have been reported. We developed bulk metallic glasses and glass matrix composites in martensitic Zr–Cu-base alloys. Large plasticity can be obtained from microstructure consisting of either a glassy structure, or for alloys with martensitic second phase embedded in a glassy matrix. This type of glasses and glass–matrix composites are able to achieve high strength together with pronounced work-hardening. We explore the possibilities to synthesize such in situ composite microstructures based on shape memory alloys (“M-Glasses”) through metal mold casting.