Structural Features and Related Properties of Amorphous Alloys with High Defect Densities/ Interfaces Densities

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Horst Hahn
• Subject Area: Mechanical Properties of Metallic Materials and their Microstructural Origins
• Term: from 2017 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 323543657

We propose to study the structural features as well as mechanical properties and some of the physical properties of amorphous alloys with high density of defects. Extraordinary properties of nanoglasses, produced by inert gas condensation (IGC) and sputtering, have been already revealed. However, the dimensions of specimens produced by IGC and sputtering, are relatively small, which prevents their industrial application. On the other hand recent studies have shown that severe plastic deformation (SPD) processing may lead to significant changes in the atomic structure of amorphous materials related to the appearance of a defective short-range order and an excess free volume. These changes seem to depend on the SPD processing parameters (temperature, strain degree and strain rate, imposed pressure). However, peculiarities of structural transformations and related properties of amorphous alloys, subjected to SPD have not been thoroughly studied. Features of the defect structure formed during SPD in amorphous alloys may be either similar to or different from nanoglasses, produced by IGC and sputtering. Parallel studies of amorphous materials with a high density of microstructural defects produced by IGC and sputtering and by SPD open up new opportunities to influence the microstructural parameters of amorphous materials and, therefore, their physical, mechanical and chemical properties. In this project, the fundamental parameters (elastic modulus, free volume, etc.) of a number of amorphous alloys, produced by IGC and sputtering on the one hand and by SPD on the other hand will be studied comprehensively for the first time using state-of-the-art analytic techniques. On this basis, the possibility for varying the mechanical (strength and ductility) and physical, chemical (magnetic, electrical, corrosive, etc.) properties of amorphous alloys will be demonstrated. These tasks have an obvious innovation potential, due to an expansion of the practical application of advanced amorphous alloys in engineering and medicine. The necessity for and the efficiency of the collaborative research in this project of the German and Russian teams are justified by the synergic effects of combining complementary experimental capabilities and, most importantly, the complementary competencies of the two teams.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Russia
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Dr. Ruslan Z. Valiev