Effects of drawing on the tensile fracture strength and its reliability of small-sized metallic glasses

The effects of drawing on the structure and mechanical properties of a Co-based metallic glass under tension were thoroughly investigated. Surface changes induced by drawing, including removal of surface flaws, surface chemical homogenization and generation of compressive residual stress tend to increase the fracture strength, whilst open volumes created during drawing, particularly nano-voids, are likely to soften the wires. Initially, the surface changes are decisive factors, but as drawing proceeds, the open volumes gradually become dominant, yielding a maximum fracture strength in the wires with an area reduction ratio of 22%. Moreover, it was found that the fracture strength reliability was enhanced by the drawing, which is due not only to the surface perfection but also to the increase of plastic deformation capability, manifested by the decrease in the activation energy of individual shear transformation zones. Our results imply that the drawing technique could be a promising approach to continuously producing small-sized glassy wires with improved overall properties.