Weibull modulus of hardness, bend strength, and tensile strength of Ni−Ta−Co−X metallic glass ribbons

In this study, the variations in mechanical properties of Ni−Co−Ta-based metallic glasses have been analyzed. Three different chemistries of metallic glass ribbons were analyzed: Ni45Ta35Co20, Ni40Ta35Co20Nb5, and Ni30Ta35Co30Nb5. These alloys possess very high density (approximately 12.5 g/cm3) and very high strength (e.g. >3 GPa). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize the amorphicity of the ribbons. Mechanical properties were measured via a combination of Vickers hardness, bending strength, and tensile strength for each chemistry. At least 50 tests were conducted for each chemistry and each test technique in order to quantify the variability of properties using both 2- and 3-parameter Weibull statistics. The variability in properties and their source(s) were compared to that of other engineering materials, while the nature of deformation via shear bands as well as fracture surface features have been determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Toughness, the role of defects, and volume effects are also discussed.