A thermal processing map of a ZrCuNiAlEr bulk metallic glass in the supercooled liquid region

Thermal compression tests of (Zr_0.6336Cu_0.1452Ni_0.1012Al_0.12)_97.4Er_2.6 bulk metallic glass (BMG) were performed at temperature of 410, 420, 430 and 440 °C and strain rates of 5 × 10⁻⁴, 10⁻³, 5 × 10⁻³ and 10⁻² s⁻¹, and a thermal processing map was constructed in the supercooled liquid region. The results indicate that in low strain rate regions (5 × 10⁻⁴–10⁻³ s⁻¹), the processing efficiency range is 70–85% and stress range is 70–120 MPa with temperatures of 410 and 420 °C, and the samples can be thermally processed under relatively small stress and show better fluidity, so temperatures of 410 and 420 °C and the strain rate range of 5 × 10⁻⁴–10⁻³ s⁻¹ are optional thermal processing parameters. When the temperature is 430 °C and the strain rate range is 5 × 10⁻⁴–10⁻² s⁻¹, the processing efficiency range is 75–85%, and the stress range is 16–106 MPa. The (Zr_0.6336Cu_0.1452Ni_0.1012Al_0.12)_97.4Er_2.6 BMG can be thermoformed under smaller flow stress and shows excellent fluidity; therefore, 430 °C and 5 × 10⁻⁴–10⁻² s⁻¹ also are optional thermal processing parameters.