Unusually thick shear-softening surface of micrometer-size metallic glasses
Autor: | Yanhui Liu, Baoan Sun, Jingxing Dong, W. H. Wang, Yong Huan, B. Huang, J. Yi, H. Y. Bai |
---|---|
Jazyk: | angličtina |
Rok vydání: | 2021 |
Předmět: |
010302 applied physics
Multidisciplinary Materials science Amorphous metal Science (General) Modulus torsion 02 engineering and technology 021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology 01 natural sciences Micrometre Shear modulus Shear (sheet metal) Condensed Matter::Soft Condensed Matter Q1-390 shear modulus Report 0103 physical sciences metallic glasses glass surface Composite material 0210 nano-technology Supercooling Glass transition Softening |
Zdroj: | The Innovation, Vol 2, Iss 2, Pp 100106-(2021) The Innovation |
ISSN: | 2666-6758 |
Popis: | Summary The surface of glass is crucial for understanding many fundamental processes in glassy solids. A common notion is that a glass surface is a thin layer with liquid-like atomic dynamics and a thickness of a few tens of nanometers. Here, we measured the shear modulus at the surface of both millimeter-size and micrometer-size metallic glasses (MGs) through high-sensitivity torsion techniques. We found a pronounced shear-modulus softening at the surface of MGs. Compared with the bulk, the maximum decrease in the surface shear modulus (G) for the micro-scale MGs reaches ~27%, which is close to the decrease in the G upon glass transition, yet it still behaves solid-like. Strikingly, the surface thickness estimated from the shear-modulus softening is at least 400 nm, which is approximately one order of magnitude larger than that revealed from the glass dynamics. The unusually thick surface is also confirmed by measurements using X-ray nano-computed tomography, and this may account for the brittle-to-ductile transition of the MGs with size reductions. The unique and unusual properties at the surface of the micrometer-size MGs are physically related to the negative pressure effect during the thermoplastic formation process, which can dramatically reduce the density of the proximate surface region in the supercooled liquid state. Graphical abstract Public summary • The shear modulus and thickness of metallic glass (MG) surface is determined through torsion testing on micrometer-size wires • The surface region of MG wires has a significant shear-modulus softening close to the supercooled liquid, yet still behaves solid-like • The thickness of the soft surface of MG wires is at least 400 nm, which is about one order of magnitude larger than those revealed from surface dynamics • The unusually thick surface accounts for the brittle-to-ductile transition of the MGs with size reduction |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
Externí odkaz: |