Environmental transmission electron microscopy study of hydrogen charging effect on a Cu-Zr metallic glass

Hydrogen induced plasticity has been found in metallic glasses; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Herein, we studied a Cu-Zr metallic glass charged in a hydrogen atmosphere inside an environmental transmission electron microscope. Compression tests of hydrogen charged nanopillars sh...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lin Tian, Yue-Qing Yang, Tobias Meyer, Dominik Tönnies, Vladimir Roddatis, Hendrik Voigt, Xin-Ai Zhao, Zhang-Jie Wang, De-Gang Xie, Michael Seibt, Cynthia A. Volkert, Zhi-Wei Shan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2020-12-01
Series:Materials Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21663831.2020.1791273
Description
Summary:Hydrogen induced plasticity has been found in metallic glasses; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Herein, we studied a Cu-Zr metallic glass charged in a hydrogen atmosphere inside an environmental transmission electron microscope. Compression tests of hydrogen charged nanopillars show more controllable deformation compared to uncharged ones. A variable resolution fluctuation electron microscopy study of the hydrogen charged samples reveals an increase in the correlation length of the medium-range order. Our results provide experimental evidence for hydrogen-induced heterogeneity and support the idea that increasing the degree of heterogeneity leads to multiple local shear events and suppresses catastrophic shear banding. IMPACT STATEMENT Direct evidence of an increase in the spatial correlation length of the medium-range order is found during hydrogen charging of a Cu-Zr metallic glass and leads to enhanced plastic deformation.
ISSN:2166-3831