Atomic scale characterization of shear bands in an amorphous metal

The shear bands in a model amorphous CuZr metallic glass are examined using atomistic simulations. The localized shear zones are characterized at atomic scales by the nearest-neighbor atomic bond rotation angle, the nearest-neighbor atomic bond length, the atomic volume, and the potential energy. It is shown that the shear band is indeed a region with a liquidlike structure and different thermomechanical properties. Shear band formation could be a result from both local heating and free volume generation. The variation of shear band properties with temperature and strain rate is also briefly reported.