A methodology of enhancing the plasticity of amorphous alloys: Elastostatic compression at room temperature

Abstract

This study demonstrates that prolonged elastostatic compression imposed on amorphous alloys at room temperature induces permanent (homogeneous) deformation associated with structural disordering. It was found that this structural disordering is accompanied by the creation of excess free volume, which in turn enhances the room temperature plasticity. In this study, we investigated the effects of various parameters, such as stress level, flow rate and preloading time, on structural disordering at room temperature. On the basis of the present findings, a method of enhancing the plasticity of amorphous alloys is proposed. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.