Dependence of the mechanical characteristics of fast-quenched amorphous Zr–Cu–Al alloys on their composition

Abstract

The thermal and mechanical characteristics of fast-quenched amorphous Zr–Cu–Al alloys with various concentrations of copper and aluminum are studied. It is shown that the crystallization temperature of glass-like compositions increases when copper is replaced with aluminum in concentrations of up to 10 at %, and that the hardness, Young’s modulus, and fracture stress increase only at low concentrations of aluminum (no more than 6 at %). Upon a further increase in the concentration of the alloying element, fracture stress σf decreases because σ_f the change in the fracture mechanism, despite high hardness and Young’s modulus.