Nanometer-Scale Structure and Properties of Amorphous Alloys

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The grant investigates the structure and defects of amorphous alloys that influence their properties. The objective of the project is to study the structural order over length scales of approximately one nanometer as well as nanometer-scale structural defects, particularly voids and crystallization resulting from intense deformation inside shear bands. Because of the inherent disorder of the structure of amorphous alloys, it is difficult to observe and quantify the relevant nanometer-scale structural features. A major aim is to use several complementary experimental techniques including fluctuation electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and resonant x-ray scattering the results of which will be input to computer simulations based on reverse Monte Carlo method to develop a detailed understanding of the nanometer-scale structure of amorphous alloys. This information will be correlated with measurements of mechanical behavior and crystallization kinetics to reveal important aspects of structure-property relationships.Amorphous alloys, also called metallic glasses, combine the outstanding mechanical properties of metals with the processing flexibility of glasses, making them promising materials for a variety of engineering applications. This program seeks to understand how the nanometer-scale structure and defects of amorphous alloys influence their properties. The education and training of graduate students, undergraduate students, and local high school students will be enhanced as part of this program by integrating the students into a research team that includes the principal investigator and the other members. A web site will be designed describing the unique properties and applications of metallic glasses for engineering applications that can help reach a broader audience.