Micro/nano ductile-phases reinforced Fe-based bulk metallic glass matrix composite with large plasticity

Fe-based bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) often show an extremely poor plastic deformation ability at room temperature, which seriously restricted their wide application. In this work, a series of in-situ (Fe77Mo5P9C7.5B1.5)100−xCux (x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1 at%) BMG matrix composites were successfully developed by low purity industrial raw materials using copper mold casting. An (Fe77Mo5P9C7.5B1.5)99.9Cu0.1 BMG matrix composite reinforced by the dual heterogeneous structure with micro/nano α-Fe exhibits the highest ever reported compressive plasticity of ~ 6.6% during the testing rod with a diameter of 1.5 mm. The origin of a large plasticity of this Fe-based BMG composite has been discussed according to the initiation of the shear bands and the instability of the shear banding.