Additive manufactured large Zr-based bulk metallic glass composites with desired deformation ability and corrosion resistance

Abstract

Zr-based bulk metallic glasses have been attracting tremendous interest of researchers because of their unique combination of mechanical and chemical properties. However, their application is limited as large-scale production is difficult due to the limitation of cooling rate. Recently, additive manufacturing technology has been proposed as a new solution for fabricating bulk metallic glasses without size limitation. In this study, selective laser melting technology was used to prepare Zr60Fe10Cu20Al10 bulk metallic glass. The laser parameters for fabricating full dense amorphous specimens were investigated. The mechanical and corrosion resistance properties of the prepared samples were measured by micro-compression and electrochemical corrosion testing, respectively. Lastly, Zr60Fe10Cu20Al10 bulk metallic glass (BMG) with dispersed nano-crystals was made, and good deformation ability was revealed during micro-compression test. The corrosion resistance decreased a bit due to the crystalline phases. The results provide a promising route for manufacturing large and complex bulk metallic glasses with better mechanical property and acceptable corrosion resistance.