Properties of Zr-based bulk metallic glass under shock compression

Many kinds of bulk metallic glasses have been discovered since the 1990s. However, there have been very few investigations of the dynamic compression properties of bulk metallic glasses with amorphous structured single-phase. In this study, Hugoniot-measurement experiments have been performed on Zr55Al10Ni5Cu30 (at.%) bulk metallic glass by the inclined-mirror method combined with a powder gun in the pressure range up to 45 GPa in order to investigate the elasto-plastic transition and phase transition of the bulk metallic glass. The Hugoniot-elastic limit stress of Zr55Al10Ni5Cu30 bulk metallic glass was >5 GPa which is much larger than that of the other metals. A kink was observed on the shock velocity versus particle velocity relationship of bulk metallic glass, which may be caused by phase transition. Ductile dimple fracture with a vein pattern was observed on the fracture surfaces of the recovered bulk metallic glass under low pressures.