Compressive fracture of Zr55Al10Ni5Cu30 bulk amorphous alloy at high temperatures

The fracture behavior of the Zr₅₅Al₁₀Ni₅Cu₃₀ bulk amorphous alloy under uniaxial compression at high temperatures has been investigated. At room temperature, the fracture occurred along the maximum shear plane which declined by 45° to the direction of the applied load, and a crack with serrated edge appeared on the ridge of the veins at the fracture surface for the Zr₅₅Al₁₀Ni₅Cu₃₀ bulk amorphous alloy. At high temperatures, the compressive fracture surface of the Zr₅₅Al₁₀Ni₅Cu₃₀ bulk amorphous alloy became much rougher than that at room temperature and steps appeared on the fracture surface. With increasing temperature, a different pattern from the vein-like morphology appeared on the fracture surface, which is very similar to the lava-flow. This type of fracture pattern is most likely due to the adiabatic heating created by plastic flow.