Mechanical behavior of Zr-based and Ta-based micropillars

The deformation characteristics of the ZrCuTi amorphous alloys with the introduction of Ta are examined. In microcompression tests, a lower strain burst rate, i.e., a slower shear band propagation speed is detected in the Ta-rich Zr14Cu7Ti5Ta74 amorphous micropillars, different from the typical rapid shear band propagation in Zr-rich Zr45Cu27Ti15Ta13. This phenomenon is rationalized in terms of two fields: the initiation of shear bands and the structure aspect. The findings are useful for alloy design in controlling the inhomogeneous deformation of amorphous alloys.