The unique set of mechanical and magnetic properties possessed by metallic glasses has attracted a lot of recent scientific and technological interest. The development of new metallic glass alloys with improved manufacturability, enhanced properties and higher ductility relies on the fundamental understanding of the interconnections between their atomic structure, glass forming ability (GFA), transport properties, and elastic and plastic deformation mechanisms. This thesis is focused on finding these atomic structure-property relationships in Cu-Zr BMGs using molecular dynamics simulations. In the first study described herein, molecular dynamics simulations of the rapid solidification process over the Cu-Zr compositional domain were conducted to explore inter-dependencies of atomic transport and fragility, elasticity and structural ordering, and GFA. The second study investigated the atomic origins of serration events, which is the characteristic plastic deformation behaviour in BMGs. The combined results of this work suggest that GFA and ductility of metallic glasses could be compositionally tuned.

A complete reference to computer simulations of inorganic glass materials In Atomistic Simulations of Glasses: Fundamentals and Applications, a team of distinguished researchers and active practitioners delivers a comprehensive review of the fundamentals and practical applications of atomistic simulations of inorganic glasses. The book offers concise discussions of classical, first principles, Monte Carlo, and other simulation methods, together with structural analysis techniques and property calculation methods for the models of glass generated from these atomistic simulations, before moving on to practical examples of the application of atomistic simulations in the research of several glass systems. The authors describe simulations of silica, silicate, aluminosilicate, borosilicate, phosphate, halide and oxyhalide glasses with up-to-date information and explore the challenges faced by researchers when dealing with these systems. Both classical and ab initio methods are examined and comparison with experimental structural and property data provided. Simulations of glass surfaces and surface-water reactions are also covered. Atomistic Simulations of Glasses includes multiple case studies and addresses a variety of applications of simulation, from elucidating the structure and properties of glasses for optical, electronic, architecture applications to high technology fields such as flat panel displays, nuclear waste disposal, and biomedicine. The book also includes: A thorough introduction to the fundamentals of atomistic simulations, including classical, ab initio, Reverse Monte Carlo simulation and topological constraint theory methods Important ingredients for simulations such as interatomic potential development, structural analysis methods, and property calculations are covered Comprehensive explorations of the applications of atomistic simulations in glass research, including the history of atomistic simulations of glasses Practical discussions of rare earth and transition metal-containing glasses, as well as halide and oxyhalide glasses In-depth examinations of glass surfaces and silicate glass-water interactions Perfect for glass, ceramic, and materials scientists and engineers, as well as physical, inorganic, and computational chemists, Atomistic Simulations of Glasses: Fundamentals and Applications is also an ideal resource for condensed matter and solid-state physicists, mechanical and civil engineers, and those working with bioactive glasses. Graduate students, postdocs, senior undergraduate students, and others who intend to enter the field of simulations of glasses would also find the book highly valuable.

Metallic glasses are very promising engineering and functional materials due to their unique mechanical, chemical, and physical properties, attracting increasing attention from both scientific and industrial communities. However, their practical applications are greatly hindered due to three main problems: dimensional limit, poor tension plasticity, and difficulty in machining and shaping. Therefore, further investigation of these issues is urgently required. This book provides readers with recent achievements and developments in the properties and processing of metallic glasses, including mainly thermoplastic forming of metallic glasses (Chapter 2), atomic-level simulation of mechanical deformation of metallic glasses (Chapter 3), metallic glass matrix composites (Chapter 4), and tribo-electrochemical applications of metallic glasses (Chapters 5 and 6).

Metallic glasses have been a promising class of materials since their discovery in the 1960s. Indeed, remarkable chemical, mechanical and physical properties have attracted considerable attention, and several excellent reviews are available. Moreover, the special group of glass forming alloys known as the bulk metallic glasses (BMG) become amorphous solids even at relatively low cooling rates, allowing them to be cast in large cross sections, opening the scope of potential applications to include bulk forms and net shape structural applications. Recent studies have been reported for new bulk metallic glasses produced with lower cooling rates, from 0.1 to several hundred K/s. Some of the application products of BMGs include sporting goods, high performance springs and medical devices. Several rapid solidification techniques, including melt-spinning, atomization and surface melting have been developed to produce amorphous alloys. The aim of all these methods is to solidify the liquid phase rapidly enough to suppress the nucleation and growth of crystalline phases. Furthermore, the production of amorphous/crystalline composite (ACC) materials by partial crystallization of amorphous precursor has recently given rise to materials that provide better mechanical and magnetic properties than the monolithic amorphous or crystalline alloys. In addition, these advances illustrate the broad untapped potential of using the glassy state as an intermediate stage in the processing of new materials and nanostructures. These advances underlie the necessity of investigations on prediction and control of phase stability and microstructural dynamics during both solidification and devitrification processes. This research presented in this dissertation is mainly focused on Cu-Zr and Cu-Zr-Al alloy systems. The Cu-Zr binary system has high glass forming ability in a wide compositional range (35-70 at.% Cu). Thereby, Cu-Zr based alloys have attracted much attention according to fundamental research on the behaviors of glass forming alloys. Further motivation arising from the application of this system as a basis for many BMGs and ACC materials; the Cu-Zr system warrants this attention and offers great potential for the development of new materials. However, the prediction and control of microstructural evolution during devitrification remains challenging because of the complex devitrification behavior of the Cu-Zr binary alloy which is arising from the competition of metastable and stable phases and diversity of crystal structures. This dissertation details a systematic fundamental investigation into the mechanisms and kinetics of the various crystallization transformation processes involved in the overall devitrification response of Cu-Zr and Cu-Zr-Al glasses. Various isothermal and nonisothermal treatments are employed, and the structural response is characterized using bulk X-ray and thermal analysis methods as well as nanoscale microscopic analysis methods, revealing structural and chemical details down to the atomic-scale. By carefully combining techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), in-situ synchrotron high energy X-ray diffraction (HEXRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to quantify the characterization transformations, this research has uncovered numerous details concerning the atomistic mechanisms of crystallization and has provided much new understanding related to the dominant phases, the overall reaction sequences, and the rate-controlling mechanisms. As such this work represents a substantial step forward in understanding these transformations and provides a clear framework for further progress toward ultimate application of controlled devitrification processing for the production of new materials with remarkable properties.

Metallic glasses and amorphous materials have attracted much more attention in the last two decades. A noncrystalline solid produced by continuous cooling from the liquid state is known as a glass. From the other point of view, a noncrystalline material, obtained by any other process, for example, vapor deposition or solid-state processing methods such as mechanical alloying, but not directly from the liquid state, is referred to as an amorphous material. At this moment, bulk metallic glasses (BMG) are appearing as a new class of metallic materials with unique physical and mechanical properties for structural and functional usage. Extreme values of strength, fracture toughness, magnetic properties, corrosion resistance, and other properties have been registered in BMG materials.

This handbook provides comprehensive treatment of the current state of glass science from the leading experts in the field. Opening with an enlightening contribution on the history of glass, the volume is then divided into eight parts. The first part covers fundamental properties, from the current understanding of the thermodynamics of the amorphous state, kinetics, and linear and nonlinear optical properties through colors, photosensitivity, and chemical durability. The second part provides dedicated chapters on each individual glass type, covering traditional systems like silicates and other oxide systems, as well as novel hybrid amorphous materials and spin glasses. The third part features detailed descriptions of modern characterization techniques for understanding this complex state of matter. The fourth part covers modeling, from first-principles calculations through molecular dynamics simulations, and statistical modeling. The fifth part presents a range of laboratory and industrial glass processing methods. The remaining parts cover a wide and representative range of applications areas from optics and photonics through environment, energy, architecture, and sensing. Written by the leading international experts in the field, the Springer Handbook of Glass represents an invaluable resource for graduate students through academic and industry researchers working in photonics, optoelectronics, materials science, energy, architecture, and more.