On the notch sensitivity of CuZr metallic glasses Available to Purchase

Atomistic simulations are performed to study the effects of size and shape of a superficial or internal notch on the strength and failure mechanism of CuZr metallic glass (MG) under tensile loading. Our results show that plastic deformation originating at the notch root reduces the stress concentration there and leads to a notch-insensitive normalized tensile strength. The notch, however, dictates the failure location as the plastic zone at the notch root serves as a nucleation site for shear band (SB) formation. It is shown that when the plastic zone size reaches a critical value, a SB starts to propagate from the notch root across the entire sample, causing the material failure. These results provide useful guidelines for the design, testing, and engineering of MG for structural applications.