Structural heterogeneities in bulk metallic glasses

The aim of this transnational FWF project [I1309-N20] is to advance a fundamental understanding of both the structural aspects and the mechanical properties of bulk metallic glasses. In this project advanced transmission electron microscopy methods including fluctuation electron microscopy as the main tool to unravel the medium range order, will be combined with X-ray scattering experiments as well as simulations. The combination of these state-of-the-art methods including in-situ experiments is expected to lead to a significant leap forward in understanding the intrinsic interrelation between structure and deformation mechanisms of metallic glasses. This challenging research project based on joint preliminary studies will be tackled through concerted efforts and cross-boarder expertise of the participating groups at the University of Vienna (Austria) and the Leibnitz Institute IFW, Dresden (Germany).

In order to analyse this complex matter systematically, the following five well-defined goals and their innovative aspects were studied:

  • Role of composition on the medium-range order and properties of different bulk metallic glasses (BMGs)
  • Influence of the thermal treatment on the structures of BMGs
  • Effect of mechanical pre-treatment on the details of the structures of BMGs leading to rejuvenation of the glassy structure
  • Structure and anelasticity in amorphous materials
  • Study and modelling of irradiation induced structural rejuvenation of BMGs

Our cross-border project is set up to explore cutting-edge aspects in the field of materials science and to deliver a comprehensive picture of the glassy structure. This includes local changes at different length scales caused by thermal or mechanical pre-treatments. Moreover, the expected results are important for establishing principles and routes for the development and design of materials with improved properties and for finally exploiting the full potential of bulk metallic glasses as novel structural material.

 

Funder: Austrian Science Fund

Project identifier:

Principal investigator: Christian Rentenberger

 

 Publications

Direct observation of nanocrystal-induced enhancement of tensile ductility in a metallic glass composite
C. Gammer, C. Rentenberger, D. Beitelschmidt, A. M. Minor, J. Eckert
Mater. Des. 209 (2021) 109970.
[doi: 10.1016/j.matdes.2021.109970]

Effect of mechanically induced structural rejuvenation on the deformation behaviour of CuZr based bulk metallic glass
C. Ebner, S. Pauly, J. Eckert, C. Rentenberger
Mat. Sci. Engng A 773 (2020) 138848.
[doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2019.138848]

Electron beam induced rejuvenation in a metallic glass film during in-situ TEM tensile straining
C. Ebner, J. Rajagopalan, C. Lekka, C. Rentenberger
Acta Mater 181 (2019) 148-159.
[doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2019.09.033]

Electron microscopy analysis of flash-annealed CuZr based bulk metallic glass
C. Müller, C. Ebner, C. Gammer, K. Kosiba, B. Escher, S. Pauly, J. Eckert and C. Rentenberger
Proc. 14th Multinational Congress on Microscopy, Belgrade, Serbia (2019) 351-353 3 S.
Novaković, J. G., Nestorović, N. & Rajnović, D. (Hrsg.). Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”.

In situ TEM of electron beam induced nanocrystallization of WC and W
S. Noisternig, U. Ludacka, C. Rentenberger and H. P. Karnthaler
Proc. 14th Multinational Congress on Microscopy, Belgrade, Serbia (2019) 84-85 2 S.
Novaković, J. G., Nestorović, N. & Rajnović, D. (Hrsg.). Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”.

Structural and mechanical characterization of heterogeneities in a CuZr-based bulk metallic glass processed by high pressure torsion
C. Ebner, B. Escher, C. Gammer, J. Eckert, S. Pauly, C. Rentenberger
Acta Mater 160 (2018) 147-157.
[doi: 10.1016/j.actamat.2018.08.032]

In-situ Deformation of Various Micro/Nanoscaled Samples in the Transmission Electron Microscope: Experimental Results and Pitfalls
R. Sarkar, C. Ebner, J. Rajagopalan, C. Rentenberger
Microsc. Microanal. 23 (Suppl 1), 762-763 (2017).
[doi: 10.1017/S1431927617004470] [pdf]

Influence of the Ag concentration on the medium range order in a CuZrAlAg bulk metallic glass
C. Gammer, B. Escher, C. Ebner, A. M. Minor, H. P. Karnthaler, J. Eckert, S. Pauly, C. Rentenberger
Sci. Rep. 7 (2017) 44903.
[doi: 10.1038/srep44903]
[uscholar.univie.ac.at/view/o:705764]

Rejuvenatation decreases shear band sliding velocity in Pt-based metallic glasses
P. Denis, C. M. Meylan, C. Ebner, A. L. Greer, M. Zehetbauer, H. J. Fecht
Mat. Sci. Eng. A684 (2017) 517-523.
[doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2016.12.075] 

Revealing anelasticity and structural rearrangements in nanoscale metallic glass films using in-situ TEM diffraction
R. Sarkar, C. Ebner, E. Izadi, C. Rentenberger, J. Rajagopalan
Mat. Res. Lett. 5 (2017) 135-143.
[doi: 10.1080/21663831.2016.1228709]
[uscholar.univie.ac.at/view/o:705763]

In-situ TEM study of micro/nanoscaled amorphous or nanocrystalline freestanding films under stress
R. Sarkar, C. Ebner, J. Rajagopalan, C. Rentenberger
Proc. Multinational Congress on Microscopy (Rovinj, Croatia) (2017).
[pdf]

Flash-annealed CuZr based bulk metallic glass studied by electron microscopy methods
C. Müller, C. Gammer, C. Ebner, K. Kosiba, B. Escher, J. Eckert, S. Pauly, C. Rentenberger
Proc. Micr. Conf. 2017 Lausanne (2017) 218-220.
[https://epub.uni-regensburg.de/36143] [pdf]

Influence of Ag and Co additions on glass-forming ability, thermal and mechanical properties of Cu-Zr-Al bulk metallic glasses
B. Escher, U. Kühn, J. Eckert, C. Rentenberger, S. Pauly
Mat. Sci. Eng. A 673 (2016) 90-98.
[doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2016.06.081]
[uscholar.univie.ac.at/view/o:944951]

Local, atomic-level elastic strain measurements of metallic glass thin films by electron diffraction
C. Ebner, R. Sarkar, J. Rajagopalan, C. Rentenberger
Ultramicroscopy 165 (2016) 51-58 .
[doi: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2016.04.004]
[uscholar.univie.ac.at/view/o:925460]

De-coupling anelastic and elastic deformation in metallic glass thin films via measurement of micro strain tensors using in situ electron diffraction
R. Sarkar, C. Ebner, C. Rentenberger, J. Rajagopal
Microsc. Microanal. 22 (Suppl 3), 524-525 (2016)
[doi: 10.1017/S1431927616003470] [pdf]

Anomalous beam effects during in situ transmission electron microscopy deformation of nanocrystalline and ultrafine-grained metals
R. Sarkar, C. Rentenberger, J. Rajagopalan
Microsc. Microanal. 22 (Suppl 3), 1498-1499 (2016)
[doi: 10.1017/S1431927616008333][pdf]

Electron microscopy analysis of flash-annealed CuZr based bulk metallic glass
C. Müller, C. Ebner, C. Gammer, K. Kosiba, B. Escher, S. Pauly, J. Eckert, C. Rentenberger
Proc. Europ. Micr. Conf. 2016, Lyon, France (2016).
[doi: 10.1002/9783527808465.EMC2016.6322] [pdf]
[emc-proceedings.com]

Study of anelastic behavior of amorphous TiAl by atomic-level elastic strain measurements during in-situ TEM straining
R. Sarkar, C. Ebner, J. Rajagopalan, C. Rentenberger
Proc. Europ. Micr. Conf. 2016, Lyon, France (2016).
[doi: 10.1002/9783527808465.EMC2016.5189] [pdf]
[emc-proceedings.com]

Atomic-level elastic strain measurement of amorphous materials by quantification of local selected area electron diffraction patterns
C. Ebner, R. Sarkar, J. Rajagopalan, C. Rentenberger
Proc. Europ. Micr. Conf. 2016, Lyon, France (2016).
[doi: 10.1002/9783527808465.EMC2016.5231] [pdf]
[emc-proceedings.com]

TEM analysis of deformation induced nanocrystallisation in an amorphous CoTi alloy
S. Noisternig, C. Ebner, C. Gammer, C. Rentenberger, C. Gspan, H.P. Karnthaler
Proc. Europ. Micr. Conf. 2016, Lyon, France (2016).
[doi: 10.1002/9783527808465.EMC2016.5361] [pdf]
[emc-proceedings.com]

Electron beam induced artifacts during in situ TEM deformation of nanostructured metals
R. Sarkar, C. Rentenberger, J. Rajagopalan
Sci. Rep. 5 (2015) 16345.
[doi:10.1038/srep16345]
[phaidra.univie.ac.at/o:454084]

Structural heterogeneities in thin foils of CuZr based bulk metallic glasses
S. Noisternig, C. Müller, C. Gammer, C. Ebner, H. P. Karnthaler, C. Rentenberger
Proc. Microscopy Conference 2015 Göttingen, 162-163 (2015).
[http://epub.uni-regensburg.de/32876] [pdf]

Fluctuation electron microscopy of metallic glasses by tilted dark-field imaging
C. Ebner, S. Noisternig, C. Gammer, C. Rentenberger, H. P. Karnthaler
Proc. Multinational Congress on Microscopy (Eger, Hungary) 276 (2015).
[pdf]

Thin foil effects on diffraction rings in CuZr-based bulk metallic glass
S. Noisternig, C. Müller, C. Gammer, C. Ebner, H. P. Karnthaler, C. Rentenberger
Proc. Multinational Congress on Microscopy (Eger, Hungary) 501 (2015).
[pdf]

Nanocrystals in amorphous Co3Ti studied by transmission electron microscopy methods
S. Noisternig, C. Ebner, C. Gammer, C. Rentenberger, H. P. Karnthaler
Proc. Multinational Congress on Microscopy (Eger, Hungary) 503 (2015).
[pdf]

Fluctuation electron microscopy of an amorphous-crystalline composite material
C. Ebner, C. Gammer, H. P. Karnthaler, C. Rentenberger
Proc. Intern. Microsc. Conf. 2014, Prague, Czech Rep.
[ISBN 978-80-260-6720-7] [pdf]

Analysis of nanocrystals embedded in Co3Ti made amorphous by severe plastic deformation
S. Noisternig, C. Ebner, C. Gammer, C. Rentenberger, C. Gspan, F. Hofer, H. P. Karnthaler
Proc. Intern. Microsc. Conf. 2014, Prague, Czech Rep.
[ISBN 978-80-260-6720-7] [pdf]

In-situ TEM deformation of a bulk metallic glass with a K2-IS detector
C. Gammer, C. Rentenberger, H. P. Karnthaler, C. Czarknik, D. Beitlschmidt, S. Pauly, J. Eckert, A. M. Minor
Proc. Intern. Microsc. Conf. 2014, Prague, Czech Rep.
[ISBN 978-80-260-6720-7] [pdf]

Fluctuation electron microscopy of a bulk metallic glass
C. Gammer, D. Beitelschmidt, S. Pauly, D. Geist, J. Eckert, H. P. Karnthaler and C. Rentenberger
Proc. Micr. Conf. 2013, Regensburg, 644 (2013).
[pdf]

Statistical analysis of nanocrystals embedded in the amorphous phase of a Co-Ti alloy studied by TEM
S. Noisternig, C. Gammer, D. Geist, H. P. Karnthaler and C. Rentenberger
Proc. Micr. Conf. 2013, Regensburg, 660 (2013).
[pdf]

Devitrification of Co3Ti studied by in-situ heating in the TEM
C. Ebner, C. Gammer, D. Geist, H. P. Karnthaler, C. Rentenberger
Proc. Micr. Conf. 2013, Regensburg, 664 (2013).
[pdf]

TEM study of Co3Ti made amorphous by high pressure torsion
C. Gammer, D. Geist, H. P. Karnthaler, C. Rentenberger
Proc. Micr. Conf. 2013, Regensburg, 690 (2013).
[pdf]

 Awards

  • Stefan Noisernig: Poster prize at the International School of Crystallography 2018, Erice for "In situ observations of electron beam induced nanocrystallization of an amorphous tungsten foil" (https://crystalerice.org/2018/report_ec.php). [pdf]
  • Stefan Noisternig: Best Poster Award at the Multinational Congress on Microscopy 2015 (Eger, Hungary) for his contribution "Nanocrystals in amorphous Co3Ti studied by transmission electron microscopy methods" [pdf]