Failure mode transition of Zr-based bulk metallic glass

Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu10Ni12.5Be22.5(Vit 1) bulk metallic glass (BMGs) exhibits different failure modes under low strain rate (10-4s-1) and high strain rate (103s-1) uniaxial compression at room temperature. Quasistatically deformed samples often fail along one dominant shear band and fracture into two large millimeter-scale blocks, whereas at impulsive loading, the samples usually break into many small scale fragments with rough fracture surfaces, such as non-uniformly distributed vein patterns and micro multiple shear bands (network-like shear bands). A theoretical model that takes into account the balance between the energy dissipation within shear band and the stored energy released in the vicinity of the shear band to fuel shear localization is developed. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms of one dominant shear band and network-like multiple shear bands controlling the failure mode transition are revealed. Copyright © (2013) by International Conference on Fracture