Localized heating and fracture criterion for bulk metallic glasses

In this study, we demonstrated that the failure of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) results from a sudden temperature rise within a shear band. Using a shear transformation zone model, we successfully calculated the temperature within a shear band and found it consistent with the observation from an in situ infrared thermographic system. The instantaneous temperature within a shear band at fracture agrees remarkably well with the glass transition temperature (Tg providing a new criterion to determine the strength of BMGs from their Tg. This agreement also discloses the fact that catastrophic failure of BMG is caused by the sudden drop in viscosity inside the shear band when the instantaneous temperature within a shear band approaches Tg.