No abstract

The fracture and fatigue properties of a newly developed bulk metallic glass alloy, Zr 41.2 Ti 13.8 Cu 12.5 Ni 10 Be 22.5 (at. pct), have been examined. Experimental measurements using conventional fatigue precracked compact-tension C(T) specimens (ϳ7-mm thick) indicated that the fully amorphous alloy has a plane-strain fracture toughness comparable to polycrystalline aluminum alloys. However, significant variability was observed and possible sources are identified. The fracture surfaces exhibited a vein morphology typical of metallic glasses, and, in some cases, evidence for local melting was observed. Attempts were made to rationalize the fracture toughness in terms of a previously developed micromechanical model based on the Taylor instability, as well as on the observation of extensive crack branching and deflection. Upon partial or complete crystallization, however, the alloy was severely embrittled, with toughnesses dropping to ϳ1 MPaΊm. Commensurate with this drop in toughness was a marginal increase in hardness and a reduction in ductility (as measured via depthsensing indentation experiments). Under cyclic loading, crack-propagation behavior in the amorphous structure was similar to that observed in polycrystalline steel and aluminum alloys. Moreover, the crack-advance mechanism was associated with alternating blunting and resharpening of the crack tip. This was evidenced by striations on fatigue fracture surfaces. Conversely, the (unnotched) stress/life (S/N) properties were markedly different. Crack initiation and subsequent growth occurred quite readily, due to the lack of microstructural barriers that would normally provide local crack-arrest points. This resulted in a low fatigue limit of ϳ4 pct of ultimate tensile strength.

The corrosion behavior of Nitinol-based medical implants is critical to their success in vivo. Contemporary Nitinol-based medical implants are typically chemically passivated or electrochemically polished to form a protective passive film. However, mechanically formed surfaces caused by handling damage, fretting, or fatigue fracture may also be present on a device in vivo. In this study, mechanically polished surfaces are used to simulate mechanically damaged surfaces such that analytical techniques, including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, open circuit potential monitoring, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Mott-Schottky analysis may be used to monitor the evolution of the passive film on mechanically damaged Nitinol. These mechanically polished Nitinol surfaces are compared with chemically passivated and electrochemically polished Nitinol surfaces and mechanically polished titanium surfaces in phosphate buffered saline solution. The mechanically polished Nitinol exhibits lower impedance at low frequencies, empirically modeled to a thinner film with lower film resistance than chemically passivated and electrochemically polished Nitinol and mechanically polished titanium. Moreover, the passive film on mechanically polished Nitinol continues to develop over time, increasing in its thickness and film resistance. This characterization demonstrates that mechanically formed surfaces may be initially less protective than chemically passivated and electrochemically polished Nitinol surfaces, but continue to become thicker and more resistant to electrochemical reactions with exposure to saline solution.

A light emission phenomenon observed during dynamic fracture of a bulk metallic glass, Zr 41.2 Ti 13.8 Cu 12.5 Ni 10 Be 22.5 ͑at. %͒, has been investigated using Charpy V-notch impact specimens. Unlike more conventional crystalline metals, these Zr-based amorphous alloys emit intense flashes of visible light when ruptured. The mechanisms for this surprising behavior are unknown and the phenomenon remains uncharacterized. Here we report spectroscopic measurements of the light emitted from specimens fractured in both room air and nitrogen gas. Spectra acquired from specimens ruptured in air exhibited a single broad peak, which could be fit to a blackbody temperature of ϳ3175 K. Emission from specimens fractured in nitrogen, however, was at least four orders of magnitude less intense. The spectrum was shifted to the red with an effective blackbody temperature of ϳ1400 K. Fracture surfaces of specimens ruptured in both air and nitrogen exhibited local melting, providing further evidence of intense heating during fracture. Based on these observations we argue that the intense light emission in air is associated with pyrolysis of fresh material exposed during rupture.