Effect of cold rolling on the microstructure and plastic deformation behavior of Ti41Zr32Ni6Ta7Be14 metallic glass matrix composites

Ti41Zr32Ni6Ta7Be14 metallic glass matrix composites (MGMCs) were subjected to large plastic deformation via cold rolling. The microstructure of the cold-rolled MGMCs was characterized microscopically. Nanoindentation tests were conducted to investigate the hardness, Young’s modulus, compressive strength, and work-hardening exponent of the cold-rolled Ti41Zr32Ni6Ta7Be14 MGMCs. It is found that profuse stacking faults (SFs), twins, and nanocrystalline structures are generated within the dendrites due to cold rolling, prohibiting rapid propagation of detrimental shear bands in the glass matrix, thereby enhancing the plastic deformation of the Ti41Zr32Ni6Ta7Be14 MGMCs. The present work highlights the ductile deformation mechanisms of MGMCs, which is of scientific importance for their engineering applications.