Mechanical properties of spinodal decomposed metallic glass composites

Controlling and manipulating heterogeneity through spinodal decomposition is one of few effective ways in making better metallic glass matrix composites. Here using a finite element modeling we investigate how the geometry, orientation, size, and statistical and spatial distribution of varying free volume heterogeneities in spinodal decomposition affect mechanical properties of the composites. Among the plethora of factors, orientation and statistical distribution of free volumes in the spinodal microstructures are identified as two key ones critically influencing the mechanical responses. The size effect is also discovered and found to be governed by the minimum size in shear banding initiation and propagation. (C) 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.