Fabrication and Characterization of Binary Ti-Al and Ti-Si Thin-Film Metallic Glasses

This study investigates the fabrication and characterization of binary Ti-Si and Ti-Al thin-film metallic glasses (TFMGs) deposited via electron beam evaporation on cp Ti and Si substrates. X-ray diffraction confirmed the amorphous structure of the Ti₈₉Si₁₁ and Ti₅₅Al₄₅ thin films. AFM revealed differences in surface roughness, with Ti₈₉Si₁₁ exhibiting a smoother surface (Ra = 0.9 nm) than Ti₅₅Al₄₅ (Ra = 1.6 nm), likely due to differences in atomic size mismatch, heat of mixing, and potential oxidation effects. Electrochemical tests in Hank's solution demonstrated the superior corrosion resistance of Ti₈₉Si₁₁, which had the lowest i_corr (0.123 µA/cm²) and widest passive region compared to Ti₅₅Al₄₅ and reference materials (cp Ti and SS316L). Mechanical properties revealed that both TFMGs exhibit higher indentation hardness and comparable reduced elastic modulus to cp Ti, with Ti₅₅Al₄₅ showing the highest hardness (5.93 ± 0.37 GPa). These findings highlight the potential of Ti-Si and Ti-Al TFMGs as high-performance materials for biomedical coatings.