Unified equation for the strength of bulk metallic glasses

In the present study, a conceptual approach to evaluate the strength of metallic glass systems is proposed from a free volume point of view. Based on the physical analogy between the plastic deformation and glass transition, the strength of amorphous structures was found to depend on both the localized shear mechanism and the atomic cohesive energy. Interestingly, we find that the strength at the ambient temperature (T-0) can be determined by the glass transition temperature (T-g) and molar volume (V), and can be specifically predicted by a unified parameter of (T-g-T-0)/V. The predicted strength was unambiguously verified from experimental data reported for a number of metallic glass systems. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.