Compressive fracture of Zr55Al10Ni5Cu30 bulk amorphous alloy at high temperatures

The fracture behavior of the Zr55Al10Ni5Cu30 bulk amorphous alloy under uniaxial compression at high temperatures has been investigated. At room temperature, the fracture occurred along the maximum shear plane which declined by 45° to the direction of the applied load, and a crack with serrated edge appeared on the ridge of the veins at the fracture surface for the Zr55Al10Ni5Cu30 bulk amorphous alloy. At high temperatures, the compressive fracture surface of the Zr55Al10Ni5Cu30 bulk amorphous alloy became much rougher than that at room temperature and steps appeared on the fracture surface. With increasing temperature, a different pattern from the vein-like morphology appeared on the fracture surface, which is very similar to the lava-flow. This type of fracture pattern is most likely due to the adiabatic heating created by plastic flow.