HRTEM analysis of nanocrystallization during uniaxial compression of a bulk metallic glass at room temperature

Nanocrystallization during deformation of metallic glass at room temperature has significant implications to understand its deformation mechanism. We present here direct high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observations of nanocrystallization in a Zr55AI10Ni5Cu30 bulk metallic glass (BMG) fractured by uniaxial compression at room temperature. The formed nanocrystallites are Zr2Cu, with the average diameter of less than 10 nm, and are distributed within the round-like regions of localized plastic deformation. We also show direct evidence of atomic neighbor distance increases associated with the shrinkage and broadening of diffused ring pattern from local deformed areas, which may enhance atomic mobility so that nanocrystallization occurred. Our results demonstrate that the origin of the room-temperature deformation of BMG can be attributed to the local atomic spacing increases induced by localization of plastic flow under uniaxial compression test.