Enhanced wear resistance in Zr-based bulk metallic glasses by hydrogen

Plate-like Zr60Ni25Al15 bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) were prepared under the gaseous mixture of hydrogen and argon. The effects of hydrogen on micro-hardness and wear resistance of the BMGs were researched. The results showed that BMGs fabricated under the gaseous mixture of hydrogen and argon exhibit higher micro-hardness and superior wear resistance, i.e., hydrogen addition can increase the wear resistance of bulk metallic glass dramatically. The enhanced wear resistance of the BMGs is attributed to the increment in micro-hardness and free volume introduced by the addition of hydrogen into the BMG matrix. The findings in present paper demonstrate that rapid solidification methods combining with hydrogenation could be an attractive means to improve the mechanical properties of bulk metallic gasses.