The characterization of plastic deformation in Ce-based bulk metallic glasses

The plastic deformation behavior of Ce68Al10Cu20Nb2 and Ce70Al10Cu20 bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) at room temperature was studied by depth-sensing nanoindentation and microindentation. It is shown that the two BMGs exhibit a continuous plastic deformation without distinct serration at the all of the studied loading rates during nanoindentation. An obvious creep displacement was observed during the holding-load segment at the maximum load for the two alloys, and the magnitude of creep during holding-load increases with loading rate. The subsurface plastic deformation zone of the two BMGs after indentation at various loading rates was investigated through bonded interface technique using depth-sensing microindentation. A highly developed shear banding pattern can be observed in the plastic deformation region, though the global load–depth curves illuminate a “homogeneous flow”. The plastic deformation behavior of the Ce-based BMGs during indentation measurements is discussed in terms of localized viscous flow.