Enhancement of plasticity in Zr-Cu-Ni-Al-Ti bulk metallic glass by heterogeneous microstructure

Icosahedral phase was found as a primary precipitated phase in the Zr70 − xCu12.5Ni10Al7.5Tix (x = 0-8) BMGs with two or three steps of crystallization process. Remarkable plasticity was realized in a wide range of alloy composition. The enhanced plasticity is attributed to the presence of icosahedral medium-range order clusters and the local heterogeneous distribution of free volume.