Experimental studies of shear bands in Zr-Cu metallic glass

Shear bands are the key feature that controls deformation in bulk metallic glasses (BMGs). This study provides a comprehensive analysis of plastic deformation of a Zr-Cu-based BMG at room temperature. Experiments were conducted to observe the evolution of shear bands in the material. It was shown that shear bands formed discretely in the material which allows for material deformation to occur across it. Additionally, individual shear bands were characterised to obtain a better understanding of shear-band-induced plasticity. Assessment of mechanical properties, such as hardness and elastic modulus, indicate the deformed regions of the material were weaker than undeformed regions. No compositional or structural changes were found in shear-band of the studied BMG suggesting generation of local free volume in the deformed region.