Strain rate dependence of plastic flow in Ce-based bulk metallic glass during nanoindentation

The strain rate dependence of plastic deformation of Ce₆₀Al₁₅Cu₁₀Ni₁₅ bulk metallic glass was studied by nanoindentation. Even though the ratio of room temperature to the glass transition temperature was very high (0.72) for this alloy, the plastic deformation was dominated by shear banding under nanoindentation. The alloy exhibited a critical loading rate dependent serrated flow feature. That is, with increasing loading rate, the alloy exhibited a transition from less prominent serrated flow to pronounced serrated flow during continuous loading but from serrated to smoother flow during stepped loading.