Thermoplastic forming of amorphous metals

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Amorphous metals possess unique combinations of high mechanical strength, elasticity, and thermoplastic formability.
• These properties make them suitable for manufacturing complex industrial parts subjected to significant mechanical stress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the thermoplastic formability of amorphous metals.
• To correlate formability with underlying thermophysical properties.
• To validate theoretical formability predictions against experimental data.

Main Methods:

• Experimental assessment of thermoplastic formability using constant heating rate and isothermal deformation experiments.
• Measurement of thermophysical properties, specifically viscosity in the supercooled liquid region.
• Comparison of experimental formability with theoretically calculated values.

Main Results:

• Experimental formability results perfectly coincided with theoretical values derived from thermophysical properties.
• Formability of amorphous alloys can be reliably predicted using viscosity measurements in the supercooled liquid state.
• Maximum formability in isothermal experiments was achieved at the highest temperatures below the crystallization point.

Conclusions:

• The thermoplastic formability of amorphous metals is directly and reliably predictable from their thermophysical properties.
• Viscosity measurements in the supercooled liquid region are a key factor for calculating formability.
• Optimizing processing temperatures below crystallization is crucial for maximizing formability in amorphous alloys.