Effect of accumulated shear on the microstructure and morphology of severely deformed Cu60Zr30Ti10 metallic glass

Cu₆₀Zr₃₀Ti₁₀ metallic glass sample was subjected to different amount of continuous rotational straining by high pressure torsion. Deformation dependent morphology, microstructural and thermal properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, synchrotron radiation, X-ray diffraction, and calorimetry, respectively. In order to estimate the temperature rise in the metallic glass during high pressure torsion, quasi three-dimensional heat conduction equation with a source term was considered. Solutions indicate that the final temperature strongly depends on the total amount of plastic deformation while details of the microstructure are mainly determined by the balance between the local shear rate and temperature.