Fatigue property improvements of ZK60 magnesium alloy: Effects of thin film metallic glass

The application of thin film metallic glass (TFMG) has been shown to improve the fatigue characteristics of ZK60 magnesium alloys. This paper reports on the deposition of Zr51Cu32Al10Ni7 (Z-TFMG) and W70Ni20B10 (W-TFMG) on ZK60 Mg alloy to a thickness of 200 nm and its effect on fatigue characteristics. In four-point-bending fatigue studies at room temperature, the fatigue limits of the bare, W-, and Z-TFMG-coated Mg alloys were 225, 270, and 280 MPa, respectively. These values indicate that the TFMG coatings improved fatigue resistance by as much as 24% through 107 cycles. The hardness of TFMGs, their excellent adhesion to the substrate, and the resulting reduction in surface roughness are believed to account for the enhanced fatigue characteristics.