Pd-Cu-Ni-P Bulk Metallic Glass: A Very Low Damping Material

The present work addresses damping experiments performed in a Pd-Cu-Ni-P bulk metallic glass. After an appropriated thermal treatment, this material exhibits a very low damping coefficient, down to 10⁻⁶. This result is discussed considering the different possible origins of the damping phenomena: thermoelasticity, energy dissipation by electrons, phonons, defects, and residual stresses. Thermoelasticity and defects appear to be the most important sources of mechanical damping. This article is based on a presentation given in the symposium entitled “Bulk Metallic Glasses IV,” which occurred February 25−March 1, 2007 during the TMS Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida under the auspices of the TMS/ASM Mechanical Behavior of Materials Committee.