Effect of notch toughness and hardness on sliding wear of Cu50Hf41.5Al8.5 bulk metallic glass

Dry sliding wear experiments with a Cu50Hf41.5Al8.5 bulk metallic glass were conducted following different annealing times of the glass at 510 degrees C. For as-cast and structurally relaxed samples and for the initial devitrification stage, wear is hardness controlled and improves with annealing. Upon longer annealing at 510 degrees C, the decrease in toughness increasingly controls the wear behavior. For prolonged annealing times, wear deteriorates and is toughness controlled. The wear stages can be quantified based on the theory of brittle wear. (C) 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.