Study of the structural relaxation-induced embrittlement of hypoeutectic Zr–Cu–Al ternary bulk glassy alloys

Highly reliable mechanical properties are the most important factors on which the industrial use of bulk glassy alloys (BGAs) depends. Most BGAs exhibit degradation of their mechanical properties due to structural relaxation, which easily occurs during enlargement and annealing. Although structural relaxation is usually accompanied with severe embrittlement, from the tensile fracture strain and the Charpy impact value, we have found that hypoeutectic BGAs exhibit no degradation of ductility and toughness even after complete structural relaxation. The fatigue behavior of hypoeutectic BGAs remains unchanged even after complete structural relaxation.