Development of bulk metallic glass composites

[Abstract]: The significant development of bulk metallic glasses during the last decade opens an opportunity to revolutionize the field of structural materials with combinations of high strength, high elastic strain, and excellent wear and corrosion resistance. However, a major drawback to their use in engineering application is the often limited ductility. To overcome this problem, attempts have been made to form bulk metallic glass composites, which consist of metallic glass as matrix and a second crystalline phase as reinforcement. This review describes the development of these bulk metallic glass composites, which are grouped into three classes: continuously reinforced composites, discontinuously reinforced composites and in-situ composites. The paper then considers the fabrication processes for bulk metallic glass composites, their mechanical properties and property enhancement mechanisms, together with their possible applications. We also briefly discuss some of the design issues related to these composite materials.