Nanocrystallization of Cu-Based Bulk Glassy Alloys upon Annealing

The Cu-based bulk glassy alloys in Cu-Zr-Ti-Ni systems were prepared by means of copper mold casting. The Cu-based bulk glassy alloys samples were tested by X-ray diffractomer (XRD), differential scanning calorimeter, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Instron testing machine and Vickers hardness instruments. The result indicated that the prepared Cu-Zr-Ti-Ni alloys were bulk glassy alloys. The temperature interval of supercooled liquid region (${\Delta}T_x$) was about 45.48 to 70.98 K for the Cu-Zr-Ti-Ni alloy. The Vickers hardness was up to 565 HV for the $Cu_{50}Zr_{25}Ti_{15}Ni_{10}$ bulk glassy alloy. The $Cu_{50}Zr_{25}Ti_{15}Ni_{10}$ bulk glassy alloys were annealed in order to obtain nanocrystals. The results showed that the Vickers hardness was raise up to 630 HV from 565 HV. As shown in XRD results, the amorphous alloys changed to nanocrystals, which were $Cu_8Zr_3$, $Cu_3Ti_2$ and CuZr, improved the hardness. The SEM analysis showed that the compression fractured morphology of amorphous alloys was brittle fracture, and the fracture morphology after annealing was ductile fracture. This proved that annealing of amorphous to nanocrystals can improve the plasticity and toughness of amorphous alloys.