Glass formation and mechanical properties of (Cu50Zr50)100−xAlx (x = 0, 4, 5, 7) bulk metallic glasses

The effect of Al content on the glass formation and mechanical properties was studied for (Cu50Zr50)100−xAlx (x = 0, 4, 5, 7) bulk metallic glasses. The crystallization temperatures of fully amorphous Cu50Zr50, Cu48Zr48Al4, Cu47.5Zr47.5Al5 and Cu46.5Zr46.5Al7 as-cast rods are 724 K, 753 K, 758 K and 782 K, respectively. The mechanical properties were investigated under compression at room temperature. As-cast Cu46.5Zr46.5Al7 shows the highest yield strength (1867 MPa), whereas Cu47.5Zr47.5Al5 shows the largest fracture strain of 11.2%. The fracture surfaces of the compressed samples were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and their morphology has been correlated with the compressive plasticity.