The more shearing, the thicker shear band and heat-affected zone in bulk metallic glass

In a compression test for a Zr-based bulk metallic glass, a dominant shear band was preserved before fracture by a cylindrical stopper. A heat-affected zone (HAZ) ∼10 μm thick together with shear band was discovered in the center of the deformed sample by preferential ion milling. By using a low aspect ratio sample for compression, diverse micron-scaled HAZs among multiple shear bands were also revealed. Based on above experimental results and the isothermal source model, it was found that the thickness of shear band and its HAZ increased continuously with the progression of shear deformation.