Serration behaviours in metallic glasses with different plasticity

We present a statistical study of serration behaviours in Pd77.5Cu6 Si-16.5, Ti41Zr25Be26Ag8, Zr41.2Ti13.8Cu12.5Ni10.0Be22.5 and Fe50Ni30P13C7 metallic glasses with different plasticity. The four samples show similar serration patterns in the beginning of yielding, and different patterns during later loading. These results indicate that the shear band initiation process in metallic glasses follow some similar dynamics. And the later serration process follows different dynamics and will lead to different plasticity. Here we interpret these serration behaviours from a perspective of inhomogeneity. The different serration patterns and shear band dynamics could be reasonably understood. The serration pattern of the Fe-based sample suggests that the brittleness of metallic glasses might result from a lower degree of inhomogeneity, and a less tendency of forming shear band intersections. This study might provide new experimental evidences for different microstructures (or inhomogeneity) and dynamic behaviours in metallic glasses with different plasticity.