Deformation and crystallization of a Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5 bulk metallic glass in the supercooled liquid region

The correlation between structure and mechanical behavior in the supercooled liquid region (SLR) of a Zr41.2Ti13.8CU12.5Ni10Be22.5 bulk metallic glass is investigated by compression tests, mechanical spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. In the SLR, whatever the mechanical features, the alloy exhibits important change in mechanical behavior after a given time which is directly connected to the development of nanocrystallization. Moreover, in the studied experimental domain, strain-induced structural changes are very limited and the critical parameter remains the total annealing time undergone by the alloy. This result is attributed to the Newtonian rheology of the glass in the studied conditions. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.