Effect of lateral pre-compression on the compressive behavior of a CuZr-based bulk metallic glass composite containing B2-CuZr phase

The effect of pre-loading on the compressive behavior of a ductile Cu₄₈Zr₄₈Al₄ bulk metallic glass composite (BMGC) containing a B2-CuZr phase was investigated by a lateral pre-compression method. It was found that noticeable plasticity and fracture strength degradations occurred for the BMGC after the lateral pre-compression. The degraded mechanical properties of the BMGC were correlated with the martensitic transformation from B2-CuZr phase to B19'-CuZr phase induced by the pre-compression. Based on the compressive behavior of the B2-CuZr and B19'-CuZr phases, influences of the two crystalline phases on the shear band multiplication in the BMGC were compared. It is expected that the pre-martensitic transformation of the B2-CuZr phase during the pre-compression would reduce the contribution of the martensitic transformation on the mechanical properties of the BMGC during subsequent compression, causing degradations of its plasticity and work-hardening-like characteristics. The results suggest that mechanical prehistory of the CuZr-based BMGC may be an important factor on its subsequent mechanical behavior.