Articles
  • The effect of Mo addition on the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of Zr-Cu-based metallic glass thin films 
  • Jung Ho Shina,b, Doo-In Kima, Hong-Baek Chob, Do Hyung Kimc, Hisayuki Suematsub,** and Kwang Ho Kima,c,*
  • a National Core Research Center for Hybrid Materials Solution, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Korea b Extreme Energy-Density Research Institute, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188, Japan c School of Materials Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Korea
Abstract
Ternary Zr-Cu-Mo metallic glass thin films (MGTFs) with various Mo contents were synthesized on Si (100) wafers and AISI 304 stainless steel substrates by a magnetron co-sputtering technique, using Zr64Cu36 and Mo targets in an Ar gas environment. The effects of Mo addition in a binary Zr64Cu36 MGTF were investigated, with regard to the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of Zr-Cu-Mo thin films. Instrumental analyses, such as EPMA, XRD, and HR-TEM revealed that Zr-Cu-Mo films with an Mo content below 38 at.% maintained the monolithic amorphous phase structure. However, when Mo content is added above 46 at.%, the Zr-Cu-Mo films begin to have nanocomposite structures of well-distributed Mo2Zr and Mo crystallites embedded in an amorphous matrix. The hardness and elastic modulus of amorphous Zr-Cu-Mo films showed nearly constant values of 10 GPa and 166 GPa, respectively, regardless of their Mo content. As Zr-Cu-Mo films have nanocomposite structures at a Mo content of 52 at.%, their mechanical properties showed increased hardness and elastic moduli of 17 GPa and 240 GPa, respectively. The Mo addition generally reduced the average friction coefficient of the ternary Zr-Cu-Mo thin films regardless of phase structure, which can be attributed to the effect of the Mo addition.

Keywords: Zr-Cu-Mo; MGTF; Nanocomposite; Co-sputtering

This Article

  • 2014; 15(2): 130-135

    Published on Apr 30, 2014