MELT OVERHEATING METHOD FOR IMPROVED TOUGHNESS AND GLASS-FORMING ABILITY OF METALLIC GLASSES

摘要

A method of forming a bulk metallic glass is provided. The method includes overheating the alloy melt to a temperature above a threshold temperature, T_tough, associated with the metallic glass demonstrating substantial improvement in toughness compared to the toughness demonstrated in the absence of overheating the melt above T_liquidus, and another threshold temperature, T_GFA, associated with the metallic glass demonstrating substantial improvement in glass-forming ability compared to the glass-forming ability demonstrated in the absence of overheating the melt above T_liquidus. After overheating the alloy melt to above T_tough and T_GFA, the melt may be cooled and equilibrated to an intermediate temperature below both T_tough and T_GFA but above T_liquidus, and subsequently quenched at a high enough rate to form a bulk metallic glass.