Fe-based bulk metallic glasses with a larger supercooled liquid region and high ductility

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) with compositions of Fe61.5−xCo3Mo14C15B6Er0.5Mx (x = 2, 3; M = Ni, Nb) were fabricated by copper mold casting using raw industrial materials. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), mechanical tester and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were employed to check the phase constituent, the thermal stability, the mechanical properties and the fracture surfaces of as-cast samples. The results indicate that the BMGs with diameters of 1.5–3 mm were fabricated for the alloys investigated. The largest supercooled liquid region (SLR) up to 76 K was found for Fe58.5Co3Mo14C15B6Er0.5Ni3 BMG. The BMGs with Ni addition exhibit not only high fracture strengths reaching 3770 MPa for x = 2 and 3980 MPa for x = 3 alloys, respectively, but also apparently plastic strains up to 0.67% and 0.93%, respectively. The fracture surfaces of the Fe61.5−xCo3Mo14C15B6Er0.5Nix (x = 2, 3) alloys with plasticity show narrow ridges characteristic of venous patterns combining with tearing flow between the ridges. While the Nb containing alloys show not only a lower SLR below 60 K but also a lower stress below 2400 MPa, as well as almost no plastic strain before fracture.