Enhancement of plasticity in Ti-rich Ti-Zr-Be-Cu-Ni-Ta bulk glassy alloy via introducing the structural inhomogeneity

The effect of microstructural inhomogeneities with different length scale on the plasticity of (Ti45Zr16Be20Cu10Ni9)(100-x) Ta-x (x = 0, 5, and 10) bulk glassy alloys has been studied. The formation of specific heterogeneous microstructures with a different type of structural inhomogeneity, i.e., short-/medium-range ordered clusters or micrometer-scale ductile dendrites combined with a glassy matrix, evolved by appropriately tuning the alloy chemistry, improves the room temperature plasticity Lip to similar to 12.5% and similar to 15%, respectively. The pronouncedly enhanced plasticity is mainly attributed to the retardation of shear localization and multiplication of shear bands by controlling the plastic and failure instabilities otherwise responsible for premature failure.