Elastic modulus change and its relation with glass-forming ability and plasticity in bulk metallic glasses

In this work, we revealed the intrinsic relation between the modulus change upon heating and macroscopic properties such as glass-forming ability (GFA) and room-temperature plasticity in various metallic glasses. Specifically, GFA and plasticity can respectively be related to the softening rate right above the glass transition temperature (T-g) and the degree of sub-T-g relaxation. These relations can be understood in terms of the unified picture of potential energy barrier crossing. Above T-g, the faster barrier crossing leads to the larger softening rate and the higher tendency of crystallization; below T-g, the easier local rearrangement brings about the larger plasticity. (C) 2018 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.