Abstract
Bulk metallic glasses are intriguing candidates for nuclear applications due to their inherent amorphous structure, but their radiation response is largely unknown due to the relatively recent nature of innovations in bulk metallic glass fabrication. Here, microstructural and mechanical property evaluations have been performed on a Zr52.5Cu17.9Ni14.6Al10Ti5 bulk metallic glass (BAM-11) irradiated with 3 MeV Ni+ ions to 0.1 and 1.0 dpa at room temperature and 200°C. Nanoindentation hardness and Young’s modulus both decreased by 6 to 20% in samples irradiated at room temperature, with the sample irradiated to 1.0 dpa experiencing the greatest change in mechanical properties. However, no significant changes in properties were observed in the samples irradiated at 200°C, and transmission electron microscopy showed no visible evidence of radiation damage or crystallization following ion irradiation at any of the tested conditions. These results suggest that BAM-11 bulk metallic glass may be useful for certain applications in nuclear environments.
