Negative Strain Rate Sensitivity Induced by Structure Heterogeneity in Zr64.13Cu15.75Ni10.12Al10 Bulk Metallic Glass

The negative strain rate sensitivity (SRS) of metallic glasses is frequently observed. However, the physical essence involved still not well understood. In present work, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) reveal strong structure heterogeneity at nanometer tens scales, respectively, in bulk glass (BMG) Zr64.13Cu15.75Ni10.12Al10 subjected to fully confined compression processing. A transition SRS stress, from 0.012 as-cast specimen −0.005 processed specimen, was observed through nanoindentation. qualitative formulation clarifies critical role internal stress induced by structural this transition. It reveals origin reported structurally heterogeneous BMG alloys its composites.