Abstract
The mechanical behavior of Zr-Cu-Al bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) and in situ Ta-particle-containing composites (BMGCs) was investigated at 77 K. Their strength increased significantly while the plastic strains remained comparable value, when compared with that at 298 K. The interaction between shear bands and particles shows that shear extension in particles has limited penetration, and shear bands build up around particles. Based on a study of pair distribution functions (PDFs), carried out at cryogenic and ambient temperatures, on the as-cast Zr-Cu-Al BMGs, simulations with Reverse Monte Carlo were performed by combining icosahedral and cubic structures as the initial structures. The PDFs and the refined structure showed the existence of clusters and free volume between the clusters. An attempt has been made to connect the relationship between amorphous structures and their mechanical properties.
