The Effect of Cooling Rate on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Zr-Based Bulk Metallic Glasses

The aim of the present study is to shed some insights on the effect of cooling rate on the microstructure and mechanical properties for glass-forming alloys. A crystalline gradient was observed in the microstructure of 12 mm diameter Zr51Al9.96Ni14.34Cu24.9 (Zr51) alloy sample from the edge to center due to uneven cooling rates. Microhardness results indicate that the lower the cooling rate, the higher the hardness for the studied alloy.