Nanoindentation study of Cu-based bulk metallic glasses

Abstract:

In this paper, two Cu-based bulk metallic glasses, Cu₅₉Zr₃₆Ti₅ and Cu₆₁Zr₃₄Ti₅, has been studied by nanoindentation in three different ways. Load rate control mode, load control mode, and cycles load control mode nanoindentation were employed. Young’s modulus of the specimen shows loading rate dependence when the loading rate is no more than 5mN/s. The Young’s modulus of both Cu₅₉Zr₃₆Ti₅ and Cu₆₁Zr₃₄Ti₅ decreases with holding load and loading rate. But neither loading rate nor holding load has significant influence on hardness. Cyclic loading leads to slight hardening for Cu₅₉Zr₃₆Ti₅, while Cu₆₁Zr₃₄Ti₅ doesn’t show such results. What’s more, Cu₆₁Zr₃₄Ti₅ exhibits obvious higher hardness and modulus than Cu₅₉Zr₃₆Ti₅ does.