Fig. 8: Effect of high-pressure annealing on mechanical properties of the Zr₅₀Cu₄₀Al₁₀ BMG.

a Density, b shear modulus, c Vickers hardness, and d bulk modulus as a function of synthesized temperature. Results of the ambient-pressure annealing are shown for comparison. Solid and open symbols denote the data at a synthesis pressure of 5.5 GPa and ambient pressure, respectively. Black and gray symbols denote the amorphous and crystallized samples, respectively. Purple and blue symbols denote the data of the HPQ and pHPQ samples, respectively. Open diamond denotes the data of the as-cast sample. Dashed and dotted lines are to guide the eyes. Errors are determined as two sigma of the standard deviation. The error bars fall within symbols if those do not appear. e Stress–strain curves of the as-cast (black) and pHPQ (blue) samples. The nonlinear behavior of the stress–strain curve of the pHPQ sample ~0% strain is probably due to the barreled shape of the sample after the high-pressure experiment. The compressive strength and Young’s modulus of the pHPQ sample synthesized at 880 K and 5.5 GPa are 2210 MPa and 126 GPa, respectively, while those of the as-cast sample are 1760 MPa and 95 GPa, respectively.