Enhancement of plasticity in Zr-based bulk metallic glasses electroplated with copper coatings

Electrodeposition was used to coat copper films on the surface of the BMG pillars (bulk metallic glasses) of Zr_52.5Cu_17.9Ni_14.6Al₁₀Ti₅ (Vit. 105) with the film thicknesses of 71.5 and 161.1 μm. The experimental results of the compression tests of the bare Vit. 105 pillars and the coated Vit. 105 pillars revealed that the copper costing increased the density of shear bands in the Vit. 105 pillars formed during the tests, resulting in the improvement of plasticity. The plastic strain was 6.1% for the coated pillars with a coating thickness of 161.1 μm, which is 3.59 times of 1.7% of the bare Vit. 105 pillars. The deformation of the copper films dissipated the strain energy and limited the propagation of shear bands, which led to the initiation and formation of multiple shear bands. The technique developed in this work provides an effective way to enhance the plasticity of BMGs at room temperature.