Pursuit of Improved Properties of Bulk Metallic Glasses by Post-Solidification Treatments

It is now widely accepted that treatments after casting a bulk metallic glass (BMG) can greatly extend its range of properties. Useful effects can be achieved both by relaxation (lowering the enthalpy) and by rejuvenation (raising the enthalpy). The most widely applied treatments are thermomechanical, and these can be relatively easily applied to BMGs. This talk will focus on our recent work that explores:<br/> ● how the state of a BMG affects its crystallization kinetics<br/> ● how BMGs may be tuned to avoid or reverse annealing-induced embrittlement<br/> ● how energy is stored in BMGs via anelastic processes.<br/>We will also consider new approaches to the optimization of BMG compositions for particular applications, where the required properties range from toughness to tarnish resistance.