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Transformation-mediated and relaxation-assisted macroscopic tensile plasticity with strain-hardening in metallic glass

Author

Listed:
  • Fan Hu

    (Southeast University, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallic Materials)

  • Qiang Luo

    (Southeast University, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallic Materials)

  • Mingjuan Cai

    (Southeast University, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallic Materials)

  • Qianqian Wang

    (Southeast University, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallic Materials)

  • Jingxian Cui

    (Southeast University, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallic Materials)

  • Yusha Luo

    (Southeast University, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallic Materials)

  • Bo Sun

    (Southeast University, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallic Materials)

  • Zhijun Guo

    (Southeast University, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallic Materials)

  • Baolong Shen

    (Southeast University, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Metallic Materials)

Abstract

Metallic glasses (MGs) possess the merits of high strength and a large elastic limit. However, they suffer from little tensile ductility in the inhomogeneous deformation regime due to strain softening and shear localization. In this work, we report a substantial increase in tensile plastic strain (εp) from 2.8% to 10% in a Fe-based metallic glass (MG) via non-affine thermal strain (NTS), accompanied by a significant intensity enhancement and a considerable decrease in activation energy (32%) of the β-relaxation. Notably, pronounced strain hardening is observed during tension. These extraordinary tensile properties are structurally attributed to the NTS-promoted formation of a chemical-fluctuation-mediated network structure consisting of interconnected Fe-rich medium-range orders (MROs) and surrounding metalloid-rich clusters, as well as the subsequent temperature and stress-induced unique evolution of the multiscale structural heterogeneities. Specifically, the stress-induced unique MRO formation, α-Fe nanocrystallization, and the irreversible relaxation-induced structural ordering jointly interact with shear banding to transform strain softening into hardening, leading to excellent ductility. These findings demonstrate that simultaneous relaxation-assisted and transformation-mediated deformation stabilizes the inhomogeneous plastic flow under tension, overcoming the ductility bottleneck of MGs.

Suggested Citation

  • Fan Hu & Qiang Luo & Mingjuan Cai & Qianqian Wang & Jingxian Cui & Yusha Luo & Bo Sun & Zhijun Guo & Baolong Shen, 2025. "Transformation-mediated and relaxation-assisted macroscopic tensile plasticity with strain-hardening in metallic glass," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-65120-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65120-4
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