Structural homology of the strength for metallic glasses

Abstract The structure-property relationship, one of the central themes in materials science, is far from being well understood for metallic glasses (MGs) due to the great complexity of their amorphous structures. Based on the analysis of published experimental data for 165 MGs from more than 15 different alloy systems, the present study reveals a universal dependence of mechanical properties (Young’s moduli, shear moduli and yield strength) on simple structural parameters (the inter-atomic distance and/or valence electron density) originating from the interatomic potential and Fermi sphere-Brillouin zone interaction. This work establishes a structure-property relationship for metallic glasses and provides insights into the fundamentals of the mechanical properties of disordered systems.