Effect of heat treatment on the mechanical properties of FeCoZrWB bulk metallic glass

A Fe₆₁Co₁₀Zr₅W₄B₂₀ bulk metallic glass (BMG) with a diameter of 2 mm was prepared by using copper mould suction casting. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), micro-hardness and compression tests were adopted to investigate the structure, thermal stability, especially, the effect of heat treatment on the micro-hardness and compression strength of this BMG. The BMG exhibits micro-hardness of about 1 207 Hv and compression fracture strength of about 1 707.6 MPa. After being annealed below the onset of crystallization temperature, the micro-hardness almost keeps constant. But after being annealed above the peak of crystallization temperature, the micro-hardness increases firstly and then declines gradually with the elongation of annealing time. However, annealed for the same period of time, the micro-hardness will increase with the rise of annealing temperature, while the compression fracture strength will apparently decrease.