The correlation between fracture surface morphology and toughness/ductility in Zr46(Cu4.5/5.5Ag1/5.5)46Al8 bulk metallic glass

In this research, the fracture behavior and ductile to brittle transition (DBT) phenomenon, as well as the correlation between fracture surface morphologies and ductility/toughness in a Zr-based bulk metallic glass (BMG) is investigated. The amorphous alloy was produced by arc melting pure elements and suction casting into a water-cooled copper mold. Then, the three point bending test was used at two temperatures of 77 and 298 K and displacement rate of 0.2 mm/min. Fracture surfaces were observed through scanning electron microscopy after bending tests. The fracture toughness of samples is determined by measuring the size of fracture surface morphologies, and the brittle and ductile fracture mechanisms were theoretically studied by using the fluid meniscus instability model. Although the Zr-based BMG is nearly ductile at room temperature, at very low temperature (77 K) it becomes more brittle. Results show that the mean fracture toughness changes from ~16 MPa.m1/2 at 298 K to ~3.5 MPa.m1/2 at 77 K. Furthermore, the critical wavelength of meniscus instability (λc) is calculated to be 127 nm for the present alloy. According to the results, if the initial wavelength of meniscus instability (λI) is smaller than the λc, periodic nano-corrugation morphologies can be observed on the fracture surface. On the contrary, if λI is larger than λc, the dimples or vein-like patterns are more likely to be form on the fracture surface.