¹State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China 
²School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China 


In this paper, the structure (free volume) related hardness and elastic modulus of a typical Cu₃₆Zr₄₈Al₈Ag₈ bulk metallic glass have been investigated. It is found that the cooling rate during sample preparation affects significantly the concentration of the free volume and thus the interatomic distance. The central region of the specimen has a much lower cooling rate and concentration of the free volume, which decreases the nucleation density of the shear bands, leading to higher hardness and elastic modulus.


J. Appl. Phys. 111, 053518 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3692568 (5 pages)


http://jap.aip.org/resource/1/japiau/v111/i5/p053518_s1