Cu-Zr-Ti Bulk Metallic Glass Composites Produced by Mechanical Alloying and Vacuum Hot-Pressing

Abstract

In the present study, WC/Cu60Zr30Ti10 metallic glass composite powders were prepared by mechanical alloying of pure Cu, Zr, Ti, and WC powder mixtures. Cu60Zr30Ti10 metallic glass composite powders were obtained after 5 h of milling as confirmed by X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. The metallic glass composites powders were found to exhibit a supercooled liquid region before crystallization. Bulk metallic glass (BMG) composites were synthesized by vacuum hot pressing the as-milled Cu60Zr30Ti10 metallic glass composite powders at 723 K in the pressure range of 0.72-1.20 GPa. BMG composite with submicron WC particles homogeneously embedded in a highly dense anocrystalline/amorphous matrix was successfully prepared under applied pressure of 1.20 GPa. It was found that the pressure could enhance the thermal stability and promotes nocrystallization of WC/Cu60Zr30Ti10 BMG composites.