Mechanical properties and deformation behaviors of Zr-based bulk metallic glass composites reinforced with multilayer W plates

Bulk metallic glass composites reinforced with W fiber, which are candidates for kinetic energy penetrators in defense applications, show high strength and excellent self-sharpening ability due to the combined properties of bulk metallic glasses and W fiber. However, the fiber structure may reduce the propensity of adiabatic shear localization of the composite in certain conditions. In this study, a novel type of bulk metallic glass composites reinforced with multilayer W plates was designed for the first time and systematically investigated. The loading direction relative to the W plates and the volume fraction of W plates significantly influence the mechanical properties and deformation behaviors of the composites. When the loading direction is perpendicular to the W plates, the plasticity of the composite increases, reaching more than 20%, as the volume fraction of W plates increases. This increase in plasticity results from the hindering effect of the W plates, which is dependent on the thickness of the metallic glass matrix. The composites loaded in the vertical direction all fracture in the shear mode. In contrast, when the loading direction is parallel to the W plates, the composites with different volume fractions of W plates all fail in the splitting mode, exhibiting brittle fracture behaviors. These findings demonstrate that the fracture behaviors of the composites can be tailored by the orientation of the W plates. These newly developed multilayered composites are expected to further expand the application fields of bulk metallic glass composites.