Chemical and topological order in shear bands of Cu64Zr36 and Cu36Zr64 glasses

Shear bands in binary Cu64Zr36 and Cu36Zr64 metallic glasses are studied by molecular dynamics simulations with respect to their chemical and topological short range order. In both glasses, shear band formation goes along with an increase in excess volume inside the shear band. Only in the Cu-rich alloy, where Cu-centered icosahedra represent the most abundant topological unit, the dilatation within the shear band is related to a decrease in the number of icosahedral units, while the degree of cross-linking and the cluster size decrease when a shear band forms. In the Cu36Zr64 glass, in contrast, no topological feature changes when the material starts yielding and a shear band is formed. The chemical short range order, however, is affected in both materials within the shear band, which is revealed by an increase in the number of Cu–Cu and Zr–Zr bonds. Since all structural modifications are rather the result of plastic deformation than a pre-requisite, we conclude that the presence of distinct topological features, such as icosahedral units, is not a pre-requisite for shear band formation