Structure and properties of Zr-Ta-Cu-Ni-Al bulk metallic glasses and metallic glass matrix composites

We have developed a series of alloys which, upon cooling from the melt, form two-phase microstructures consisting of crystalline Ta-rich solid solution particles embedded in a bulk metallic glass matrix. These alloys have the general composition (Zr70Ni10Cu20)(90-x)TaxAl10 where 0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 12 (all compositions are in atomic percent). These alloys have mechanical properties consistent with metallic glasses, including high yield strength (similar to2 GPa) and large elastic elongation (similar to2%). However, they also show much larger plastic strain to failure (up to 16%) in uniaxial compression than monolithic metallic glasses. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.