Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Multilayered Ti-Based Bulk Metallic Glass Composites Containing Various Thicknesses of Ti-Rich Laminates

In order to optimize the balance between strength and toughness, a series of multilayered Ti-based bulk metallic glass composites (BMGCs) with varying thicknesses of Ti-rich layers were successfully fabricated. The findings reveal that with an increase in the thickness of the Ti-rich layers, both the flexural yield strength and ultimate strength decreased from 2066 MPa and 2717 MPa to 668 MPa and 1163 MPa, respectively. Conversely, there was a noticeable increase in flexural strain. The fracture toughness of these multilayered Ti-based BMGCs decreased as the thickness of the Ti-rich layers increased; nevertheless, it stabilized at approximately 80 MPa·m1/2 when the thickness reached 100 μm. It was observed that a shift in the dominant deformation mode may be accountable for this phenomenon. These noteworthy characteristics suggest that adjusting the thickness of Ti-rich layers in multilayered BMGCs can effectively optimize mechanical performance, shedding light on the manufacturing of novel BMGCs with high performance.