Wire Electrochemical Micro Machining of Narrow Slits on Fe-Based Amorphous Alloys

Amorphous alloys (metallic glasses) possess unique long-disordered but short-ordered atomic structures and outstanding mechanical properties, including high hardness, high strength, and good corrosion resistance, making them attractive for precision microdevice applications. However, their poor machinability limits their practical deployment because conventional thermomechanical processing can readily cause crystallization-related defects due to heat input. Wire electrochemical micromachining (WECM), based on anodic dissolution, generates no cutting heat or tool electrode wear and thus prevents crystallization damage during the fabrication of complex microstructures. This study systematically explores the electrochemical dissolution behavior and narrow-slit machining performance of Fe-based amorphous alloys. Slit-cutting experiments are conducted to reveal the effects of key parameters, including electrolyte type, feed rate, and electrical parameters, on machining characteristics. Following single-factor experimental investigation and parameter selection, 0.2 mol/L sulfuric acid is selected as the optimal electrolyte. The optimal parameters are a machining voltage of 7 V, a pulse width of 200 ns, a feed rate of 0.2 μm/s, and a wire electrode vibration amplitude of 100 μm. Uniform narrow slits with good surface quality are achieved. Representative complex microstructures are successfully fabricated. This work verifies the feasibility of WECM for the microfabrication of Fe-based amorphous alloys and advances its potential applications in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and aerospace components.