Effect of Raw Material Purity on Structure and Properties of Metallic Glasses

Zirconium base metallic glasses [Zr 0.73 (Cu 0.59 Ni 0.41 ) 0.27 ] 87 Al 13 was fabricated by industrial zirconium with low purity and high purity zirconium according to different quality ratios in order to study the effect of raw material purity on the structure and properties of metallic glasses. The results showed that the complete metallic glasses was failed to be fabricate with low purity zirconium. And the compression process was typical brittle fracture with low compressive strength and without plastic strain. The glasses forming ability of low purity zirconium metallic glass with different purity was significantly improved after the addition of yttrium element. The compression experiments showed that the compressive strength and plasticity of metallic glasses were improved, and the microhardness was also increased. It indicates that yttrium element can eliminate the adverse effect of impurity in low purity zirconium on the glasses forming ability of the alloy and improve the structural properties of the metallic glasses.