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Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Influence of grain size and composition, topology and excess free volume on the deformation behavior of Cu–Zr nanoglasses
    (Frankfurt, M. : Beilstein-Institut zur Förderung der Chemischen Wissenschaften, 2015) Şopu, Daniel; Albe, Karsten
    The influence of grain size and composition on the mechanical properties of Cu–Zr nanoglasses (NGs) is investigated by molecular dynamics simulations using two model glasses of different alloy composition, namely Cu64Zr36 (Cu-rich) and Cu36Zr64 (Zr-rich). When the grain size is increased, or the fraction of interfaces in these NGs is decreased, we find a transition from a homogeneous to an inhomogeneous plastic deformation, because the softer interfaces are promoting the formation shear transformation zones. In case of the Cu-rich system, shear localization at the interfaces is most pronounced, since both the topological order and free volume content of the interfaces are very different from the bulk phase. After thermal treatment the redistribution of free volume leads to a more homogenous deformation behavior. The deformation behavior of the softer Zr-rich nanoglass, in contrast, is only weakly affected by the presence of glass–glass interfaces, since the interfaces don’t show topological disorder. Our results provide clear evidence that the mechanical properties of metallic NGs can be systematically tuned by controlling the size and the chemical composition of the glassy nanograins.
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    Lower nanometer-scale size limit for the deformation of a metallic glass by shear transformations revealed by quantitative AFM indentation
    (Frankfurt am Main : Beilstein-Institut, 2015) Caron, Arnaud; Bennewitz, Roland
    We combine non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging and AFM indentation in ultra-high vacuum to quantitatively and reproducibly determine the hardness and deformation mechanisms of Pt(111) and a Pt57.5Cu14.7Ni5.3P22.5 metallic glass with unprecedented spatial resolution. Our results on plastic deformation mechanisms of crystalline Pt(111) are consistent with the discrete mechanisms established for larger scales: Plasticity is mediated by dislocation gliding and no rate dependence is observed. For the metallic glass we have discovered that plastic deformation at the nanometer scale is not discrete but continuous and localized around the indenter, and does not exhibit rate dependence. This contrasts with the observation of serrated, rate-dependent flow of metallic glasses at larger scales. Our results reveal a lower size limit for metallic glasses below which shear transformation mechanisms are not activated by indentation. In the case of metallic glass, we conclude that the energy stored in the stressed volume during nanometer-scale indentation is insufficient to account for the interfacial energy of a shear band in the glassy matrix.
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    Effect of geometrical constraint condition on the formation of nanoscale twins in the Ni-based metallic glass composite
    (Milton Park : Taylor and Francis Ltd., 2014) Lee, M.H.; Kim, B.S.; Kim, D.H.; Ott, R.T.; Sansoz, F.; Eckert, J.
    We investigated the effect of geometrically constrained stress-strain conditions on the formation of nanotwins in -brass phase reinforced Ni59Zr20 Ti16 Si2 Sn3 metallic glass (MG) matrix deformed under macroscopic uniaxial compression. The specific geometrically constrained conditions in the samples lead to a deviation from a simple uniaxial state to a multi-axial stress state, for which nanocrystallization in the MG matrix together with nanoscale twinning of the brass reinforcement is observed in localized regions during plastic flow. The nanocrystals in the MG matrix and the appearance of the twinned structure in the reinforcements indicate that the strain energy is highly confined and the local stress reaches a very high level upon yielding. Both the effective distribution of reinforcements on the strain enhancement of composite and the effects of the complicated stress states on the development of nanotwins in the second-phase brass particles are discussed.
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    Properties of the Ti40Zr10Cu36Pd14 BMG modified by Sn and Nb aqdditions
    (Heidelberg : Springer, 2016) Sypien, Anna; Stoica, Mihail; Czeppe, Tomasz
    The results of investigation of the influence of additions of 2 and 3 at.% of Sn and simultaneously of Sn and 3 at.% Nb on microstructure and properties of the bulk metallic glasses of composition (Ti40Cu36−x Zr10Pd14Sn x )100−y Nb y are reported. It was found that the additions of Sn increased the temperatures of glass transition (T g), primary crystallization (T x ), melting, and liquidus as well as supercooled liquid range (ΔT) and glass forming ability (GFA). The nanohardness and elastic modulus decreased in alloys with 2 and 3 at.% Sn additions, revealing similar values. The 3 at.% Nb addition to the Sn-containing amorphous phase decreased as well all the T g, T x , T L, and T m temperatures as ΔT and GFA; however, relatively larger values of this parameters in alloys containing larger Sn content were preserved. In difference to the previously published results, in the case of the amorphous alloys containing small Nb and Sn additions, a noticeable amount of the quenched-in crystalline phases was not confirmed, at least of the micrometric sizes. In the case of the alloys containing Sn or both Sn and Nb, two slightly different amorphous phase compositions were detected, suggesting separation in the liquid phase. Phase composition of the alloys determined after amorphous phase crystallization was similar for all compositions. The phases Cu8Zr3, CuTiZr, and Pd3Zr were mainly identified in the proportions dependent on the alloy compositions.
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    Importance of surface oxide for the tribology of a Zr-based metallic glass
    (Heidelberg : Springer, 2017) Kang, S.J.; Rittig, Kai Thomas; Kwan, S.G.; Park, H.W.; Bennewitz, Roland; Caron, Arnaud
    Thermally grown surface oxide layers dominate the single-asperity tribological behavior of a Zr60Cu30Al10 glass. Increase in oxidation time leads to an increased contribution of shearing and a corresponding decreased contribution of ploughing to friction. This change in the dominating friction and wear mechanism results in an overall minor decrease of the friction coefficient of oxidized surfaces compared to the metallic glass sample with native surface oxide. Our results demonstrate the importance of creating a stable oxide layer for practical applications of metallic glasses in micro-devices involving sliding contact.