Crack and Shear Band Interaction in Bulk Metallic Glasses

In this paper, bulk notched sample was designed to introduce crack and shear band interaction in bulk metallic glasses (BMGs). Deformation morphologies on the polished surface demonstrate that crack in BMGs might be deflected or arrested by surrounding shear bands. Distinct fracture morphologies could be observed in the interaction-induced soften region, indicating a transition of the mechanism dominating crack propagation. A hyperelastic model was used to discuss crack and shear band interaction. It’s proved that crack propagation is dominated by local elastic properties rather than global linear elastic properties due to shear induced softening and multiple shear bands. Our study suggests that multiple shear bands with a proper spacing are helpful to inhibit catastrophic crack propagation and to improve the plasticity of bulk metallic glasses.