WO2013039513A1

WO2013039513A1 - Molding and separating of bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys and composite containing amorphous alloy

Info

Publication number: WO2013039513A1
Application number: PCT/US2011/051967
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tran Quoc PHAM; Theodore Andrew WANIUK; Michael Blaine DEMING; Sean Timothy O'keeffe
Original assignee: Crucible Intellectual Property Llc
Priority date: 2011-09-16
Filing date: 2011-09-16
Publication date: 2013-03-21
Also published as: JP2014527913A; US20140345754A1; CN103797138B; CN103797138A; JP5934366B2

Abstract

A method to form and to separate bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy where the forming and separating takes place at a temperature around the glass transition temperature or within the super cooled liquid region are provided.

Description

MOLDING AND SEPARATING OF BULK-SOLIDIFYING AMORPHOUS ALLOYS AND COMPOSITE CONTAINING AMORPHOUS ALLOY

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to molding and separating of bulk- solidifying amorphous alloys and composite containing amorphous alloy for the manufacture of bulk- solidifying amorphous alloys and methods of making the same.

BACKGROUND

[0002] A large portion of the metallic alloys in use today are processed by solidification casting, at least initially. The metallic alloy is melted and cast into a metal or ceramic mold, where it solidifies. The mold is stripped away, and the cast metallic piece is ready for use or further processing. The as-cast structure of most materials produced during solidification and cooling depends upon the cooling rate. There is no general rule for the nature of the variation, but for the most part the structure changes only gradually with changes in cooling rate. On the other hand, for the bulk- solidifying amorphous alloys, the change between the amorphous state produced by relatively rapid cooling and the crystalline state produced by relatively slower cooling is one of kind rather than degree - the two states have distinct properties.

[0003] A conventional method for making a bulk-metallic glass (BMG) part requires casting a block of material at or above the melting temperature of the amorphous metal alloy in a mold, freezing the molten amorphous metal alloy in the mold to form a cast block, and then using a cutting tool to remove the gate portion of the cast block and shape the cast block into the desired final geometry. However, casting requires melting and cooling of the amorphous metal alloy, which can cause uncontrolled amount of amorphicity in the BMG part. Furthermore, the post-processing cost for removing the gate and runner overflow and shaping the cast block into the desired final part geometry can be quite high. Therefore, new methods for making BMG parts that overcome the above mentioned limitations of the casting process are desirable.

SUMMARY

[0004] The embodiments herein are directed to a hot forming and hot separating process for bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys which takes place in the supercooled liquid region or around glass transition temperature. [0005] The embodiments herein relate to combining casting/molding of a BMG alloy into a BMG part and post-processing of the BMG part in an integrated operation without cooling the BMG part to room temperature or near room temperature, whereas conventional processes require casting/molding of a BMG alloy into a BMG part, cooling the BMG part to near room temperature and subsequent post-processing of the BMG part.

[0006] One embodiment herein relates to an injection molding system that does not require melting the BMG material and cutting a portion of a molded BMG part using a hot knife without cooling the molded BMG part to room temperature. This embodiment relates to molding a BMG part at a temperature in the supercooled liquid region of the BMG material in the TTT diagram and then degating the part at that temperature. For example, one could heat up the BMG material between Tg and Tx within the supercooled liquid region of the TTT diagram of the BMG material to a temperature where the BMG material is flowable, apply pressure to the heated, flowable BMG material, fill a mold with the flowable BMG material, and then create a part having the desired final geometry directly in the mold. So, instead of casting the amorphous alloy one would be molding it at a temperature in the supercooled liquid region of the amorphous alloy.

[0007] Another embodiment relates to using a casting or molding machine to cast or mold a BMG part at or near the melting temperature of the BMG material, cooling the BMG material to below Tg to form a BMG part, and then using a hot knife to degate and remove the gate and the runner from the BMG part at a temperature in the supercooled liquid region of the BMG material in the TTT diagram. This embodiment relates to using a cutting tool that could be heated to a temperature between Tg and Tx and incorporating the cutting tool into the mold of the molding system to cut the gate, runner and other extraneous portions of the molded part right after molding instead of waiting for the molded part to cool down to room temperature and then using conventional tools like a saw or water jet to degate the gate and runner from the molded part. For example, one could cast an exemplar BMG alloy by heating it to above the melting temperature at about 1100 degree C and injecting the molten BMG alloy into a mold, cooling the molten BMG alloy in the mold to about 300-350 degree C to form a BMG part, and using a hot knife heated to about 450 degree C and embedded in the mold to shear off portions (such as the date and runner) of the BMG part. This way, one would combine the steps of casting or molding and post-processing cutting off portions of the BMG part without cooling the BMG part all the way down to room temperature, thereby conserving energy, improving the speed of the process, and getting more improved cuts by shearing the BMG part using a hot knife.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 provides a temperature-viscosity diagram of an exemplary bulk solidifying amorphous alloy.

[0009] Figure 2 provides a schematic of a time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagram for an exemplary bulk solidifying amorphous alloy.

[00010] Figures 3(a) and 3(b) provide a schematic of different exemplary embodiments of molding and casting systems. The bulk amorphous alloy has a critical thickness of (a) and the final part has the smallest dimension that is thicker than the critical thickness (>a).

Cutting tool, bulk amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy, and the mold are heated to around transition temperature or within the supercooled liquid region by any mean.

[00011] Figures 4(a) and 4(b) provide a schematic of different exemplary embodiments of forming microfeatures on a surface of a BMG part during cutting of the BMG part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[00012] All publications, patents, and patent applications cited in this Specification are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[00013] The articles "a" and "an" are used herein to refer to one or to more than one (i.e., to at least one) of the grammatical object of the article. By way of example, "a polymer resin" means one polymer resin or more than one polymer resin. Any ranges cited herein are inclusive. The terms "substantially" and "about" used throughout this Specification are used to describe and account for small fluctuations. For example, they can refer to less than or equal to ±5%, such as less than or equal to ±2%, such as less than or equal to ±1%, such as less than or equal to ±0.5%, such as less than or equal to ±0.2%, such as less than or equal to ±0.1%, such as less than or equal to ±0.05%.

[00014] Bulk-solidifying amorphous alloys, or bulk metallic glasses ("BMG"), are a recently developed class of metallic materials. These alloys may be solidified and cooled at relatively slow rates, and they retain the amorphous, non-crystalline (i.e., glassy) state at room temperature. Amorphous alloys have many superior properties than their crystalline counterparts. However, if the cooling rate is not sufficiently high, crystals may form inside the alloy during cooling, so that the benefits of the amorphous state can be lost. For example, one challenge with the fabrication of bulk amorphous alloy parts is partial crystallization of the parts due to either slow cooling or impurities in the raw alloy material. As a high degree of amorphicity (and, conversely, a low degree of crystallinity) is desirable in BMG parts, there is a need to develop methods for casting BMG parts having controlled amount of amorphicity.

[00015] Figure 1 (obtained from U.S. Pat. No. 7,575,040) shows a viscosity-temperature graph of an exemplary bulk solidifying amorphous alloy, from the VIT-001 series of Zr-Ti— Ni-Cu— Be family manufactured by Liquidmetal Technology. It should be noted that there is no clear liquid/solid transformation for a bulk solidifying amorphous metal during the formation of an amorphous solid. The molten alloy becomes more and more viscous with increasing undercooling until it approaches solid form around the glass transition

temperature. Accordingly, the temperature of solidification front for bulk solidifying amorphous alloys can be around glass transition temperature, where the alloy will practically act as a solid for the purposes of pulling out the quenched amorphous sheet product.

[00016] Figure 2 (obtained from U.S. Pat. No. 7,575,040) shows the time-temperature- transformation (TTT) cooling curve of an exemplary bulk solidifying amorphous alloy, or TTT diagram. Bulk- solidifying amorphous metals do not experience a liquid/solid crystallization transformation upon cooling, as with conventional metals. Instead, the highly fluid, non crystalline form of the metal found at high temperatures (near a "melting temperature" Tm) becomes more viscous as the temperature is reduced (near to the glass transition temperature Tg), eventually taking on the outward physical properties of a conventional solid.

[00017] Even though there is no liquid/crystallization transformation for a bulk solidifying amorphous metal, a "melting temperature" Tm may be defined as the thermodynamic liquidus temperature of the corresponding crystalline phase. Under this regime, the viscosity of bulk- solidifying amorphous alloys at the melting temperature could lie in the range of about 0.1 poise to about 10,000 poise, and even sometimes under 0.01 poise. A lower viscosity at the "melting temperature" would provide faster and complete filling of intricate portions of the shell/mold with a bulk solidifying amorphous metal for forming the BMG parts.

Furthermore, the cooling rate of the molten metal to form a BMG part has to such that the time-temperature profile during cooling does not traverse through the nose-shaped region bounding the crystallized region in the TTT diagram of Figure 2. In Figure 2, Tnose is the critical crystallization temperature Tx where crystallization is most rapid and occurs in the shortest time scale.

[00018] The supercooled liquid region, the temperature region between Tg and Tx is a manifestation of the extraordinary stability against crystallization of bulk solidification alloys. In this temperature region the bulk solidifying alloy can exist as a high viscous liquid. The viscosity of the bulk solidifying alloy in the supercooled liquid region can vary between 10¹² Pa s at the glass transition temperature down to 10⁵ Pa s at the crystallization temperature, the high temperature limit of the supercooled liquid region. Liquids with such viscosities can undergo substantial plastic strain under an applied pressure. The embodiments herein make use of the large plastic formability in the supercooled liquid region as a forming and separating method.

[00019] One needs to clarify something about Tx. Technically, the nose-shaped curve shown in the TTT diagram describes Tx as a function of temperature and time. Thus, regardless of the trajectory that one takes while heating or cooling a metal alloy, when one hits the TTT curve, one has reached Tx. In Figure 1 (b), Tx is shown as a dashed line as Tx can vary from close to Tm to close to Tg.

[00020] The schematic TTT diagram of Figure 2 shows processing methods of die casting from at or above Tm to below Tg without the time-temperature trajectory (shown as (1) as an example trajectory) hitting the TTT curve. During die casting, the forming takes place substeantially simultaneously with fast cooling to avoid the trajectory hitting the TTT curve. The procssing methods for superplastic forming (SPF) from at or below Tg to below Tm without the time-temperature trajectory (shown as (2), (3) and (4) as example trajectories) hitting the TTT curve. In SPF, the amorphous BMG is reheated into the supercooled liquid region where the available processing window could be much larger than die casting, resulting in better controllability of the process. The SPF process does not require fast cooling to avoid crystallization during cooling. Also, as shown by example trajectories (2), (3) and (4), the SPF can be carried out with the highest temperature during SPF being above Tnose or below Tnose, up to about Tm. If one heats up a piece of amorphous alloy but manages to avoid hitting the TTT curve, you have heated "between Tg and Tm", but one would have not reached Tx.

[00021] Typical differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) heating curves of bulk- solidifying amorphous alloys taken at a heating rate of 20 C/min describe, for the most part, a particular trajectory across the TTT data where one would likely see a Tg at a certain temperature, a Tx when the DSC heating ramp crosses the TTT crystallization onset, and eventually melting peaks when the same trajectory crosses the temperature range for melting. If one heats a bulk- solidifying amorphous alloy at a rapid heating rate as shown by the ramp up portion of trajectories (2), (3) and (4) in Figure 2, then one could avoid the TTT curve entirely, and the DSC data would show a glass transition but no Tx upon heating. Another way to think about it is trajectories (2), (3) and (4) can fall anywhere in temperature between the nose of the TTT curve (and even above it) and the Tg line, as long as it does not hit the crystallization curve. That just means that the horizontal plateau in trajectories might get much shorter as one increases the processing temperature.

Phase

[00022] The term "phase" herein can refer to one that can be found in a thermodynamic phase diagram. A phase is a region of space (e.g., a thermodynamic system) throughout which all physical properties of a material are essentially uniform. Examples of physical properties include density, index of refraction, chemical composition and lattice periodicity. A simple description of a phase is a region of material that is chemically uniform, physically distinct, and/or mechanically separable. For example, in a system consisting of ice and water in a glass jar, the ice cubes are one phase, the water is a second phase, and the humid air over the water is a third phase. The glass of the jar is another separate phase. A phase can refer to a solid solution, which can be a binary, tertiary, quaternary, or more, solution, or a compound, such as an intermetallic compound. As another example, an amorphous phase is distinct from a crystalline phase.

Metal Transition Metal and Non-metal

[00023] The term "metal" refers to an electropositive chemical element. The term "element" in this Specification refers generally to an element that can be found in a Periodic Table. Physically, a metal atom in the ground state contains a partially filled band with an empty state close to an occupied state. The term "transition metal" is any of the metallic elements within Groups 3 to 12 in the Periodic Table that have an incomplete inner electron shell and that serve as transitional links between the most and the least electropositive in a series of elements. Transition metals are characterized by multiple valences, colored compounds, and the ability to form stable complex ions. The term "nonmetal" refers to a chemical element that does not have the capacity to lose electrons and form a positive ion.

[00024] Depending on the application, any suitable nonmetal elements, or their

combinations, can be used. The alloy (or "alloy composition") can comprise multiple nonmetal elements, such as at least two, at least three, at least four, or more, nonmetal elements. A nonmetal element can be any element that is found in Groups 13-17 in the Periodic Table. For example, a nonmetal element can be any one of F, CI, Br, I, At, O, S, Se, Te, Po, N, P, As, Sb, Bi, C, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, and B. Occasionally, a nonmetal element can also refer to certain metalloids (e.g., B, Si, Ge, As, Sb, Te, and Po) in Groups 13-17. In one embodiment, the nonmetal elements can include B, Si, C, P, or combinations thereof.

Accordingly, for example, the alloy can comprise a boride, a carbide, or both.

[00025] A transition metal element can be any of scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, cadmium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold, mercury, rutherfordium, dubnium, seaborgium, bohrium, hassium, meitnerium, ununnilium, unununium, and ununbium. In one embodiment, a BMG containing a transition metal element can have at least one of Sc, Y, La, Ac, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Tc, Re, Fe, Ru, Os, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, and Hg. Depending on the application, any suitable transitional metal elements, or their combinations, can be used. The alloy composition can comprise multiple transitional metal elements, such as at least two, at least three, at least four, or more, transitional metal elements.

[00026] The presently described alloy or alloy "sample" or "specimen" alloy can have any shape or size. For example, the alloy can have a shape of a particulate, which can have a shape such as spherical, ellipsoid, wire-like, rod-like, sheet-like, flake-like, or an irregular shape. The particulate can have any size. For example, it can have an average diameter of between about 1 micron and about 100 microns, such as between about 5 microns and about 80 microns, such as between about 10 microns and about 60 microns, such as between about 15 microns and about 50 microns, such as between about 15 microns and about 45 microns, such as between about 20 microns and about 40 microns, such as between about 25 microns and about 35 microns. For example, in one embodiment, the average diameter of the particulate is between about 25 microns and about 44 microns. In some embodiments, smaller particulates, such as those in the nanometer range, or larger particulates, such as those bigger than 100 microns, can be used.

[00027] The alloy sample or specimen can also be of a much larger dimension. For example, it can be a bulk structural component, such as an ingot, housing/casing of an electronic device or even a portion of a structural component that has dimensions in the millimeter, centimeter, or meter range.

Solid solution

[00028] The term "solid solution" refers to a solid form of a solution. The term "solution" refers to a mixture of two or more substances, which may be solids, liquids, gases, or a combination of these. The mixture can be homogeneous or heterogeneous. The term "mixture" is a composition of two or more substances that are combined with each other and are generally capable of being separated. Generally, the two or more substances are not chemically combined with each other.

Alloy

[00029] In some embodiments, the alloy composition described herein can be fully alloyed. In one embodiment, an "alloy" refers to a homogeneous mixture or solid solution of two or more metals, the atoms of one replacing or occupying interstitial positions between the atoms of the other; for example, brass is an alloy of zinc and copper. An alloy, in contrast to a composite, can refer to a partial or complete solid solution of one or more elements in a metal matrix, such as one or more compounds in a metallic matrix. The term alloy herein can refer to both a complete solid solution alloy that can give single solid phase

microstructure and a partial solution that can give two or more phases. An alloy composition described herein can refer to one comprising an alloy or one comprising an alloy-containing composite. [00030] Thus, a fully alloyed alloy can have a homogenous distribution of the constituents, be it a solid solution phase, a compound phase, or both. The term "fully alloyed" used herein can account for minor variations within the error tolerance. For example, it can refer to at least 90% alloyed, such as at least 95% alloyed, such as at least 99% alloyed, such as at least 99.5% alloyed, such as at least 99.9% alloyed. The percentage herein can refer to either volume percent or weight percentage, depending on the context. These percentages can be balanced by impurities, which can be in terms of composition or phases that are not a part of the alloy.

Amorphous or non-crystalline solid

[00031] An "amorphous" or "non-crystalline solid" is a solid that lacks lattice periodicity, which is characteristic of a crystal. As used herein, an "amorphous solid" includes "glass" which is an amorphous solid that softens and transforms into a liquid-like state upon heating through the glass transition. Generally, amorphous materials lack the long-range order characteristic of a crystal, though they can possess some short-range order at the atomic length scale due to the nature of chemical bonding. The distinction between amorphous solids and crystalline solids can be made based on lattice periodicity as determined by structural characterization techniques such as x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy.

[00032] The terms "order" and "disorder" designate the presence or absence of some symmetry or correlation in a many-particle system. The terms "long-range order" and "short- range order" distinguish order in materials based on length scales.

[00033] The strictest form of order in a solid is lattice periodicity: a certain pattern (the arrangement of atoms in a unit cell) is repeated again and again to form a translationally invariant tiling of space. This is the defining property of a crystal. Possible symmetries have been classified in 14 Bravais lattices and 230 space groups.

[00034] Lattice periodicity implies long-range order. If only one unit cell is known, then by virtue of the translational symmetry it is possible to accurately predict all atomic positions at arbitrary distances. The converse is generally true, except, for example, in quasi-crystals that have perfectly deterministic tilings but do not possess lattice periodicity. [00035] Long-range order characterizes physical systems in which remote portions of the same sample exhibit correlated behavior. This can be expressed as a correlation function, namely the spin-spin correlation function: }

) .

[00036] In the above function, s is the spin quantum number and x is the distance function within the particular system. This function is equal to unity when x = x' and decreases as the distance I x - x' l increases. Typically, it decays exponentially to zero at large distances, and the system is considered to be disordered. If, however, the correlation function decays to a constant value at large I x - x' l, then the system can be said to possess long-range order. If it decays to zero as a power of the distance, then it can be called quasi-long-range order. Note that what constitutes a large value of I x - x' l is relative.

[00037] A system can be said to present quenched disorder when some parameters defining its behavior are random variables that do not evolve with time (i.e., they are quenched or frozen) - e.g., spin glasses. It is opposite to annealed disorder, where the random variables are allowed to evolve themselves. Embodiments herein include systems comprising quenched disorder.

[00038] The alloy described herein can be crystalline, partially crystalline, amorphous, or substantially amorphous. For example, the alloy sample/specimen can include at least some crystallinity, with grains/crystals having sizes in the nanometer and/or micrometer ranges. Alternatively, the alloy can be substantially amorphous, such as fully amorphous. In one embodiment, the alloy composition is at least substantially not amorphous, such as being substantially crystalline, such as being entirely crystalline.

[00039] In one embodiment, the presence of a crystal or a plurality of crystals in an otherwise amorphous alloy can be construed as a "crystalline phase" therein. The degree of crystallinity (or "crystallinity" for short in some embodiments) of an alloy can refer to the amount of the crystalline phase present in the alloy. The degree can refer to, for example, a fraction of crystals present in the alloy. The fraction can refer to volume fraction or weight fraction, depending on the context. A measure of how "amorphous" an amorphous alloy is can be amorphicity. Amorphicity can be measured in terms of a degree of crystallinity. For example, in one embodiment, an alloy having a low degree of crystallinity can be said to have a high degree of amorphicity. In one embodiment, for example, an alloy having 60 vol crystalline phase can have a 40 vol amorphous phase.

Amorphous alloy or amorphous metal

[00040] An "amorphous alloy" is an alloy having an amorphous content of more than 50% by volume, preferably more than 90% by volume of amorphous content, more preferably more than 95% by volume of amorphous content, and most preferably more than 99% to almost 100% by volume of amorphous content. Note that, as described above, an alloy high in amorphicity is equivalently low in degree of crystallinity. An "amorphous metal" is an amorphous metal material with a disordered atomic-scale structure. In contrast to most metals, which are crystalline and therefore have a highly ordered arrangement of atoms, amorphous alloys are non-crystalline. Materials in which such a disordered structure is produced directly from the liquid state during cooling are sometimes referred to as "glasses." Accordingly, amorphous metals are commonly referred to as "metallic glasses" or "glassy metals." In one embodiment, a bulk metallic glass ("BMG") can refer to an alloy, of which the microstructure is at least partially amorphous. However, there are several ways besides extremely rapid cooling to produce amorphous metals, including physical vapor deposition, solid-state reaction, ion irradiation, melt spinning, and mechanical alloying. Amorphous alloys can be a single class of materials, regardless of how they are prepared.

[00041] Amorphous metals can be produced through a variety of quick-cooling methods. For instance, amorphous metals can be produced by sputtering molten metal onto a spinning metal disk. The rapid cooling, on the order of millions of degrees a second, can be too fast for crystals to form, and the material is thus "locked in" a glassy state. Also, amorphous metals/alloys can be produced with critical cooling rates low enough to allow formation of amorphous structures in thick layers - e.g., bulk metallic glasses.

[00042] The terms "bulk metallic glass" ("BMG"), bulk amorphous alloy ("BAA"), and bulk solidifying amorphous alloy are used interchangeably herein. They refer to amorphous alloys having the smallest dimension at least in the millimeter range. For example, the dimension can be at least about 0.5 mm, such as at least about 1 mm, such as at least about 2 mm, such as at least about 4 mm, such as at least about 5 mm, such as at least about 6 mm, such as at least about 8 mm, such as at least about 10 mm, such as at least about 12 mm. Depending on the geometry, the dimension can refer to the diameter, radius, thickness, width, length, etc. A BMG can also be a metallic glass having at least one dimension in the centimeter range, such as at least about 1.0 cm, such as at least about 2.0 cm, such as at least about 5.0 cm, such as at least about 10.0 cm. In some embodiments, a BMG can have at least one dimension at least in the meter range. A BMG can take any of the shapes or forms described above, as related to a metallic glass. Accordingly, a BMG described herein in some embodiments can be different from a thin film made by a conventional deposition technique in one important aspect - the former can be of a much larger dimension than the latter.

[00043] Amorphous metals can be an alloy rather than a pure metal. The alloys may contain atoms of significantly different sizes, leading to low free volume (and therefore having viscosity up to orders of magnitude higher than other metals and alloys) in a molten state. The viscosity prevents the atoms from moving enough to form an ordered lattice. The material structure may result in low shrinkage during cooling and resistance to plastic deformation. The absence of grain boundaries, the weak spots of crystalline materials in some cases, may, for example, lead to better resistance to wear and corrosion. In one embodiment, amorphous metals, while technically glasses, may also be much tougher and less brittle than oxide glasses and ceramics.

[00044] Thermal conductivity of amorphous materials may be lower than that of their crystalline counterparts. To achieve formation of an amorphous structure even during slower cooling, the alloy may be made of three or more components, leading to complex crystal units with higher potential energy and lower probability of formation. The formation of amorphous alloy can depend on several factors: the composition of the components of the alloy; the atomic radius of the components (preferably with a significant difference of over 12% to achieve high packing density and low free volume); and the negative heat of mixing the combination of components, inhibiting crystal nucleation and prolonging the time the molten metal stays in a supercooled state. However, as the formation of an amorphous alloy is based on many different variables, it can be difficult to make a prior determination of whether an alloy composition would form an amorphous alloy.

[00045] Amorphous alloys, for example, of boron, silicon, phosphorus, and other glass formers with magnetic metals (iron, cobalt, nickel) may be magnetic, with low coercivity and high electrical resistance. The high resistance leads to low losses by eddy currents when subjected to alternating magnetic fields, a property useful, for example, as transformer magnetic cores.

[00046] Amorphous alloys may have a variety of potentially useful properties. In particular, they tend to be stronger than crystalline alloys of similar chemical composition, and they can sustain larger reversible ("elastic") deformations than crystalline alloys. Amorphous metals derive their strength directly from their non-crystalline structure, which can have none of the defects (such as dislocations) that limit the strength of crystalline alloys. For example, one modern amorphous metal, known as Vitreloy™, has a tensile strength that is almost twice that of high-grade titanium. In some embodiments, metallic glasses at room temperature are not ductile and tend to fail suddenly when loaded in tension, which limits the material applicability in reliability-critical applications, as the impending failure is not evident.

Therefore, to overcome this challenge, metal matrix composite materials having a metallic glass matrix containing dendritic particles or fibers of a ductile crystalline metal can be used. Alternatively, a BMG low in element(s) that tend to cause embitterment (e.g., Ni) can be used. For example, a Ni-free BMG can be used to improve the ductility of the BMG.

[00047] Another useful property of bulk amorphous alloys is that they can be true glasses; in other words, they can soften and flow upon heating. This can allow for easy processing, such as by injection molding, in much the same way as polymers. As a result, amorphous alloys can be used for making sports equipment, medical devices, electronic components and equipment, and thin films. Thin films of amorphous metals can be deposited as protective coatings via a high velocity oxygen fuel technique.

[00048] A material can have an amorphous phase, a crystalline phase, or both. The amorphous and crystalline phases can have the same chemical composition and differ only in the microstructure - i.e., one amorphous and the other crystalline. Microstructure in one embodiment refers to the structure of a material as revealed by a microscope at 25X magnification or higher. Alternatively, the two phases can have different chemical compositions and microstructures. For example, a composition can be partially amorphous, substantially amorphous, or completely amorphous.

[00049] As described above, the degree of amorphicity (and conversely the degree of crystallinity) can be measured by fraction of crystals present in the alloy. The degree can refer to volume fraction of weight fraction of the crystalline phase present in the alloy. A partially amorphous composition can refer to a composition of at least about 5 vol of which is of an amorphous phase, such as at least about 10 vol , such as at least about 20 vol , such as at least about 40 vol , such as at least about 60 vol , such as at least about 80 vol , such as at least about 90 vol . The terms "substantially" and "about" have been defined elsewhere in this application. Accordingly, a composition that is at least substantially amorphous can refer to one of which at least about 90 vol is amorphous, such as at least about 95 vol , such as at least about 98 vol , such as at least about 99 vol , such as at least about 99.5 vol , such as at least about 99.8 vol , such as at least about 99.9 vol . In one embodiment, a substantially amorphous composition can have some incidental, insignificant amount of crystalline phase present therein.

[00050] In one embodiment, an amorphous alloy composition can be homogeneous with respect to the amorphous phase. A substance that is uniform in composition is homogeneous. This is in contrast to a substance that is heterogeneous. The term "composition" refers to the chemical composition and/or microstructure in the substance. A substance is homogeneous when a volume of the substance is divided in half and both halves have substantially the same composition. For example, a particulate suspension is homogeneous when a volume of the particulate suspension is divided in half and both halves have substantially the same volume of particles. However, it might be possible to see the individual particles under a microscope. Another example of a homogeneous substance is air where different ingredients therein are equally suspended, though the particles, gases and liquids in air can be analyzed separately or separated from air.

[00051] A composition that is homogeneous with respect to an amorphous alloy can refer to one having an amorphous phase substantially uniformly distributed throughout its microstructure. In other words, the composition macroscopically comprises a substantially uniformly distributed amorphous alloy throughout the composition. In an alternative embodiment, the composition can be of a composite, having an amorphous phase having therein a non-amorphous phase. The non-amorphous phase can be a crystal or a plurality of crystals. The crystals can be in the form of particulates of any shape, such as spherical, ellipsoid, wire-like, rod-like, sheet-like, flake-like, or an irregular shape. In one embodiment, it can have a dendritic form. For example, an at least partially amorphous composite composition can have a crystalline phase in the shape of dendrites dispersed in an amorphous phase matrix; the dispersion can be uniform or non-uniform, and the amorphous phase and the crystalline phase can have the same or a different chemical composition. In one embodiment, they have substantially the same chemical composition. In another

embodiment, the crystalline phase can be more ductile than the BMG phase.

[00052] The methods described herein can be applicable to any type of amorphous alloy. Similarly, the amorphous alloy described herein as a constituent of a composition or article can be of any type. The amorphous alloy can comprise the element Zr, Hf, Ti, Cu, Ni, Pt, Pd, Fe, Mg, Au, La, Ag, Al, Mo, Nb, Be, or combinations thereof. Namely, the alloy can include any combination of these elements in its chemical formula or chemical composition. The elements can be present at different weight or volume percentages. For example, an iron "based" alloy can refer to an alloy having a non-insignificant weight percentage of iron present therein, the weight percent can be, for example, at least about 20 wt , such as at least about 40 wt , such as at least about 50 wt , such as at least about 60 wt , such as at least about 80 wt . Alternatively, in one embodiment, the above-described percentages can be volume percentages, instead of weight percentages. Accordingly, an amorphous alloy can be zirconium-based, titanium-based, platinum-based, palladium-based, gold-based, silver-based, copper-based, iron-based, nickel-based, aluminum-based, molybdenum-based, and the like. The alloy can also be free of any of the aforementioned elements to suit a particular purpose. For example, in some embodiments, the alloy, or the composition including the alloy, can be substantially free of nickel, aluminum, titanium, beryllium, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the alloy or the composite is completely free of nickel, aluminum, titanium, beryllium, or combinations thereof.

[00053] For example, the amorphous alloy can have the formula (Zr, Ti)_a(Ni, Cu, Fe)b(Be, Al, Si, B)c, wherein a, b, and c each represents a weight or atomic percentage. In one embodiment, a is in the range of from 30 to 75, b is in the range of from 5 to 60, and c is in the range of from 0 to 50 in atomic percentages. Alternatively, the amorphous alloy can have the formula (Zr, Ti)_a(Ni, Cu)b(Be)_c, wherein a, b, and c each represents a weight or atomic percentage. In one embodiment, a is in the range of from 40 to 75, b is in the range of from 5 to 50, and c is in the range of from 5 to 50 in atomic percentages. The alloy can also have the formula (Zr, Ti)_a(Ni, Cu)b(Be)_c, wherein a, b, and c each represents a weight or atomic percentage. In one embodiment, a is in the range of from 45 to 65, b is in the range of from 7.5 to 35, and c is in the range of from 10 to 37.5 in atomic percentages. Alternatively, the alloy can have the formula (Zr)_a(Nb, Ti)b(Ni, Cu)_c(Al)d, wherein a, b, c, and d each represents a weight or atomic percentage. In one embodiment, a is in the range of from 45 to 65, b is in the range of from 0 to 10, c is in the range of from 20 to 40 and d is in the range of from 7.5 to 15 in atomic percentages. One exemplary embodiment of the aforedescribed alloy system is a Zr-Ti-Ni-Cu-Be based amorphous alloy under the trade name Vitreloy™, such as Vitreloy-1 and Vitreloy-101, as fabricated by Liquidmetal Technologies, CA, USA. Some examples of amorphous alloys of the different systems are provided in Table 1.

[00054] The amorphous alloys can also be ferrous alloys, such as (Fe, Ni, Co) based alloys. Examples of such compositions are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,325,868; 5,288,344; 5,368,659; 5,618,359; and 5,735,975, Inoue et al, Appl. Phys. Lett, Volume 71, p 464 (1997), Shen et al, Mater. Trans., JIM, Volume 42, p 2136 (2001), and Japanese Patent Application No. 200126277 (Pub. No. 2001303218 A). One exemplary composition is Fe₇₂Al₅Ga₂PuC₆B₄. Another example is Fe^Al'_/ZijoMosW^s. Another iron-based alloy system that can be used in the coating herein is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application

Publication No. 2010/0084052, wherein the amorphous metal contains, for example, manganese (1 to 3 atomic ), yttrium (0.1 to 10 atomic ), and silicon (0.3 to 3.1 atomic ) in the range of composition given in parentheses; and that contains the following elements in the specified range of composition given in parentheses: chromium (15 to 20 atomic ), molybdenum (2 to 15 atomic ), tungsten (1 to 3 atomic ), boron (5 to 16 atomic ), carbon (3 to 16 atomic ), and the balance iron.

[00055] The aforedescribed amorphous alloy systems can further include additional elements, such as additional transition metal elements, including Nb, Cr, V, and Co. The additional elements can be present at less than or equal to about 30 wt , such as less than or equal to about 20 wt , such as less than or equal to about 10 wt , such as less than or equal to about 5 wt . In one embodiment, the additional, optional element is at least one of cobalt, manganese, zirconium, tantalum, niobium, tungsten, yttrium, titanium, vanadium and hafnium to form carbides and further improve wear and corrosion resistance. Further optional elements may include phosphorous, germanium and arsenic, totaling up to about 2%, and preferably less than 1%, to reduce melting point. Otherwise incidental impurities should be less than about 2% and preferably 0.5%. Table 1. Exemplary amorphous alloy compositions

[00056] In some embodiments, a composition having an amorphous alloy can include a small amount of impurities. The impurity elements can be intentionally added to modify the properties of the composition, such as improving the mechanical properties (e.g., hardness, strength, fracture mechanism, etc.) and/or improving the corrosion resistance. Alternatively, the impurities can be present as inevitable, incidental impurities, such as those obtained as a byproduct of processing and manufacturing. The impurities can be less than or equal to about 10 wt , such as about 5 wt , such as about 2 wt , such as about 1 wt , such as about 0.5 wt , such as about 0.1 wt . In some embodiments, these percentages can be volume percentages instead of weight percentages. In one embodiment, the alloy

sample/composition consists essentially of the amorphous alloy (with only a small incidental amount of impurities). In another embodiment, the composition includes the amorphous alloy (with no observable trace of impurities).

[00057] In one embodiment, the final parts exceeded the critical casting thickness of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloys.

[00058] In embodiments herein, the existence of a supercooled liquid region in which the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy can exist as a high viscous liquid allows for superplastic forming. Large plastic deformations can be obtained. The ability to undergo large plastic deformation in the supercooled liquid region is used for the forming and/or cutting process. As oppose to solids, the liquid bulk solidifying alloy deforms locally which drastically lowers the required energy for cutting and forming. The ease of cutting and forming depends on the temperature of the alloy, the mold, and the cutting tool. As higher is the temperature, the lower is the viscosity, and consequently easier is the cutting and forming.

[00059] Embodiments herein can utilize a thermoplastic-forming process with amorphous alloys carried out between Tg and Tx, for example. Herein, Tx and Tg are determined from standard DSC measurements at typical heating rates (e.g. 20 °C/min) as the onset of crystallization temperature and the onset of glass transition temperature.

[00060] The amorphous alloy components can have the critical casting thickness and the final part can have thickness that is thicker than the critical casting thickness. Moreover, the time and temperature of the heating and shaping operation is selected such that the elastic strain limit of the amorphous alloy could be substantially preserved to be not less than 1.0 , and preferably not being less than 1.5 . In the context of the embodiments herein, temperatures around glass transition means the forming temperatures can be below glass transition, at or around glass transition, and above glass transition temperature, but preferably at temperatures below the crystallization temperature T_x. The cooling step is carried out at rates similar to the heating rates at the heating step, and preferably at rates greater than the heating rates at the heating step. The cooling step is also achieved preferably while the forming and shaping loads are still maintained.

Electronic Devices

[00061] The embodiments herein can be valuable in the fabrication of electronic devices using a BMG. An electronic device herein can refer to any electronic device known in the art. For example, it can be a telephone, such as a cell phone, and a land- line phone, or any communication device, such as a smart phone, including, for example an iPhone™, and an electronic email sending/receiving device. It can be a part of a display, such as a digital display, a TV monitor, an electronic-book reader, a portable web-browser (e.g., iPad™), and a computer monitor. It can also be an entertainment device, including a portable DVD player, conventional DVD player, Blue-Ray disk player, video game console, music player, such as a portable music player (e.g., iPod™), etc. It can also be a part of a device that provides control, such as controlling the streaming of images, videos, sounds (e.g., Apple TV™), or it can be a remote control for an electronic device. It can be a part of a computer or its accessories, such as the hard drive tower housing or casing, laptop housing, laptop keyboard, laptop track pad, desktop keyboard, mouse, and speaker. The article can also be applied to a device such as a watch or a clock.

Molding/Casting and Separating of Bulk-Solidifying Amorphous Alloys

[00062] In one embodiment, the final parts exceeded the critical casting thickness of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloys.

[00063] In another embodiment, hot forming and hot separating can be performed in any order or exclusively.

[00064] In another embodiment, the bulk- solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy, the mold, and the cutting tool are at the cutting temperature in the supercooled liquid region. [00065] In still another embodiment, the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy, the mold, and the cutting tool are at the cutting temperature in the supercooled liquid region. A wire is used as a cutting tool.

[00066] In still another embodiment, the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy, the mold, and the cutting tool are at the cutting temperature in the supercooled liquid region. The cutting tool is a blade.

[00067] In still another embodiment, the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy, the mold, and the cutting tool are at the cutting temperature in the supercooled liquid region. The cutting is performed by shearing two surfaces against each other. The bulk solidifying alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy is connected to one of the surfaces.

[00068] In still another embodiment, the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy is heated locally, where the cut is performed, to the cutting temperature and the bulk solidifying alloy can be at any temperature.

[00069] In still another embodiment, the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy is heated locally, where the cut is performed, to the cutting temperature, and the bulk solidifying alloy can be at any temperature. A heated wire which is at the cutting temperature is used as a cutting tool.

[00070] In still another embodiment, the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy is heated locally, where the cut is performed, to the cutting temperature, and the bulk solidifying alloy can be at any temperature. A heated plate which is at the cutting temperature is used as a cutting tool.

[00071] In still another embodiment, the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy is heated locally, where the cut is performed, to the cutting temperature, and the bulk solidifying alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy can be at any temperature. The cutting is performed by shearing two heated surfaces against each other.

[00072] In still another embodiment, the cutting is performed to separate the reservoir containing feedstock and the part. [00073] In still another embodiment, the purpose of the cutting is to provide a desired shape where the bulk solidifying alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy has been formed into the mold cavity.

[00074] In still another embodiment, the purpose of the cutting is to provide a desired stock material where the bulk solidifying alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy will be formed into the mold cavity.

[00075] In another embodiment, the bulk amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy, in the supercooled liquid region, is pushed into a mold cavity, also heated to within the supercooled liquid region.

[00076] In another embodiment, the bulk amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy, in the supercooled liquid region, is pushed into a mold cavity, which is heated to below the supercooled liquid region.

[00077] In another embodiment, the bulk amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy is heated by a laser, a resistant furnace or alike, or inductively.

[00078] In another embodiment, the mold can also act as a cutting tool.

[00079] In another embodiment, the bulk amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy is heated by the plunger and/or the mold to within supercooled liquid region.

[00080] In one embodiment of the method of forming and separating, the provided bulk solidifying amorphous alloy composition is Zr/Ti base.

[00081] In one embodiment of the method of forming and separating, the provided bulk solidifying amorphous alloy composition is Zr-base.

[00082] In one embodiment of the method of forming and separating, the provided bulk solidifying amorphous alloy composition is Zr/Ti base with no Ni.

[00083] In one embodiment of the method of forming and separating, the provided bulk solidifying amorphous alloy composition is Zr/Ti base with no Al. [00084] In one embodiment of the method of forming and separating, the provided bulk solidifying amorphous alloy composition is Zr/Ti base with no Be.

[00085] In one embodiment of the method of forming and separating, the provided bulk solidifying amorphous alloy composition is Cu base.

[00086] In one embodiment of the method of forming and separating, the provided bulk solidifying amorphous alloy composition is Fe base.

[00087] In one embodiment of the method of forming and separating, the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy is formed and/or separated into a net shape part under vacuum.

[00088] In one embodiment of the method of forming and separating, the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy is formed and/or separated into a net shape part under inert atmosphere.

[00089] In one embodiment of the method of forming and separating, the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy is formed and/or separated into a net shape part under partial vacuum.

[00090] In one embodiment of the method of forming and separating, the bulk- solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy can be formed and/or separated one or more times.

[00091] In embodiments herein, the existence of a supercooled liquid region in which the bulk-solidifying amorphous alloy can exist as a high viscous liquid allows for superplastic forming. Large plastic deformations can be obtained. The ability to undergo large plastic deformation in the supercooled liquid region is used for the forming and/or cutting process. As oppose to solids, the liquid bulk solidifying alloy deforms locally which drastically lowers the required energy for cutting and forming. The ease of cutting and forming depends on the temperature of the alloy, the mold, and the cutting tool. As higher is the temperature, the lower is the viscosity, and consequently easier is the cutting and forming.

[00092] The cutting and forming processes can be carried out on a sample that is at uniform temperature at the cutting temperature where also the cutting tool is at the cutting temperature. This is however not necessary. Alternatively, the sample temperature varies and is only locally at the cutting temperature where the cut is performed. This can be either done by locally heating it or alternatively by heating the cutting tool or the mold. On the other hand, the forming process should be carried out on a sample that is at uniform temperature and the mold must be heated to the alloy's supercooled liquid region or lower to obtain a desired forming and cooling performance.

[00093] Herein, Tx and Tg are determined from standard DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) measurements at typical heating rates (e.g. 20 °C/min) as the onset of crystallization temperature and the onset of glass transition temperature.

[00094] The feedstock can have the critical casting thickness and the final part can have thickness that is thicker than the critical casting thickness. Moreover, the time and temperature of the heating and shaping operation is selected such that the elastic strain limit of the amorphous alloy is substantially preserved to be not less than 1.0 , and preferably not being less than 1.5 . In the context of the embodiments herein, temperatures around glass transition means the forming temperatures can be below glass transition, at or around glass transition, and above glass transition temperature, but preferably at temperatures below the crystallization temperature T_x. The cooling step is carried out at rates similar to the heating rates at the heating step, and preferably at rates greater than the heating rates at the heating step. The cooling step is also achieved preferably while the forming and shaping loads are still maintained.

[00095] In one embodiment, one would heat a BMG alloy that is already in a form of an amorphous alloy from room temperature to a temperature between Tg and Tx and force the heated BMG alloy it into a mold having the shape of the part one wants to form. However, after injecting the BMG alloy into the mold, one would not cool the part down to room temperature. Instead, one could cool the BMG part down to below Tg or slightly above Tg. One can then apply the hot cutting tool heated to a temperature between Tg and Tx and shear the gate off the BMG part and subsequently cool the BMG part down further to below Tg (e.g., near room temperature). In short, in this embodiment, one could start with an amorphous BMG alloy which is below Tg, raise the temperature of the BMG alloy to above Tg, mold the BMG alloy into a molded part, lower the temperature of the molded part to below Tg or slightly above Tg, and cut portions of the molded part using a hot cutting tool heated to above Tg, at a temperature in the supercooled liquid region of the BMG alloy in between Tg and Tx. The temperature of the molded part as a whole could be during cutting could be below Tg or above Tg, but a localized temperature in the cutting zone surrounding the hot knife has to be above Tg.

[00096] In another embodiment, one could take a BMG alloy in a molten form at a temperature above Tm, cast or mold the molten BMG alloy into the shape of a BMG part at a temperature above Tg, and then cool the BMG part to below Tg such that the BMG part is amorphous substantially throughout the BMG part. Then, one could either locally heat a region the BMG part where one would be cutting the BMG part to a temperature above Tg or heat the whole BMG part to above Tg and cut a portion of the BMG part.

[00097] In one variation, one could have different texture or different features on the knife, and when one cuts the BMG part, the texture or features will be replicated on the BMG part. With conventional water jet or saw cuts, one needs to do finishing after cutting. For example, one needs to undertake post-process finishing such as grinding down the BMG part, shaving it or chamfering it. By using the hot knife to cut the BMG part, one could incorporate these features into the knife and when one cuts the BMG part using the hot knife without undertaking post-process finishing.

[00098] Furthermore, by the embodiments herein, one can make a clean cut without causing localized heating and crystallization in a region near to the cutting surface as one would normally expect using saw cutting of a BMG part.

[00099] One exemplary method of forming and separating bulk solidifying amorphous alloy comprises the following steps:

1) Providing a feedstock of amorphous alloy being substantially amorphous.

2) Heating the feedstock, the mold, and the cutting tool to around the glass transition temperature or within the supercooled liquid region;

3) Shaping the heated feedstock into the mold and separate any excess material to form the desired shape; and

4) Cooling the formed part to temperatures far below the glass transition temperature. [000100] More specifically, the above exemplary method of forming and separating bulk solidifying amorphous alloy could be carried out with reference to Figures 3(a) and 3(b) as follows:

(1) Obtain a bulk amorphous alloy feedstock and heat it to between Tg and Tx.

(2) Insert (inject) the heated bulk amorphous alloy into a mold to form a BMG part

(3) Activate a cutter, which is at a temperature between Tg and Tx, to trim the BMG part. The BMG part may be below Tg during cutting or the BMG part may be between Tg and Tx. The BMG part may be cooled while cutting.

(4) Open the mold and eject the trimmed BMG part. The BMG part may be cooled during ejection.

[000101] Another exemplary method of forming and separating bulk solidifying amorphous alloy comprises the following steps:

1. Providing a homogeneous alloy feedstock of amorphous alloy (not necessarily amorphous);

2. Heating the feedstock to a casting temperature above the melting temperatures;

3. Introducing the molten alloy into a first mold with critical casting thickness or thinner; and quenching the molten alloy to temperatures below glass transition.

4. Heating the feedstock, the second mold, and the cutting tool to around the glass transition temperature or within the supercooled liquid region;

5. Shaping the heated feedstock into the second mold and separate any excess material to form a desired shape; and

6. Cooling the formed part to temperatures far below the glass transition temperature.

The part may have thickness thicker than the critical casting thickness.

7. A second mold may not be needed, i.e., everything can be incorporated into one mold. [000102] More specifically, the above exemplary method of forming and separating bulk solidifying amorphous alloy could be carried out with reference to Figures 3(a) and 3(b) as follows:

(1) Obtain metal alloy feedstock that may or may not be amorphous and heat to above Tm.

(2) Insert (inject) the molten feedstock in a mold shaped in the form a part.

(3) Cool the molten feedstock in the mold to below Tg to form a BMG part.

(4) Activate a cutter, which is at a temperature between Tg and Tx, to trim the BMG part. The BMG part may be below Tg during cutting or the BMG part may be between Tg and Tx. The BMG part may be cooled while cutting.

(5) Open the mold and eject the trimmed BMG part. The BMG part may be cooled during ejection.

Forming Microfeatures While Separating of Bulk-Solidifying Amorphous Alloys

[000103] Other embodiments relate to apparatus for molding/casting a BMG part and cutting portion of the BMG part using a hot knife. The knife is maintained at heated temperature above Tg and can have different types of microfeatures on it that create similar microfeatures on the BMG part as it is being cut.

[000104] The microfeatures could comprise holographic logos. This could be accomplished with the knife having a negative image of the hologram and while one is cutting the BMG part, one would create a hologram on the BMG part in situ in one step along with cutting of the BMG part as shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b). To avoid smearing the hologram, the knife could have a slight draft angle so that when one removes the knife, it does not smear the microfeatures formed on the BMG part as when one removes the knife one would form a little chamfer that will hold on to the shape that one has already formed.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED:

1. A method comprising:

processing a metal alloy to form a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part, wherein the processing is performed in a manner such that a time-temperature profile during the processing does not traverse through a region bounding a crystalline region in a time- temperature-transformation (TTT) diagram of the metal alloy, and

cutting a portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part by a cutting tool that is heated to a temperature greater than a glass transition temperature (Tg) of the metal alloy without previously cooling the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part to a temperature near room temperature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing the metal alloy to form a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part comprises heating an amorphous alloy from below Tg to a superplastic forming region between Tg and a melting point of the metal alloy (Tm), and inserting the amorphous alloy into a mold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cutting the portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part by the cutting tool comprises shearing a portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein during the cutting the portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part by the cutting tool, a temperature of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part is below Tg or above Tg, except that a localized temperature in a cutting zone surrounding the cutting tool is above Tg.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing the metal alloy to form a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part comprises heating the metal alloy to Tm or above, inserting the metal alloy into a mold, and cooling the metal alloy to a temperature below Tg to form the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the cutting the portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part by the cutting tool comprises shearing a portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein during the cutting the portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part by the cutting tool, a temperature of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part is below Tg or above Tg, except that a localized temperature in a cutting zone surrounding the cutting tool is above Tg.

8. A method to form and to separate a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or a composite containing amorphous alloy comprising a metal alloy, wherein the forming and separating takes place at a temperature around the glass transition temperature or within a supercooled liquid region of the metal alloy.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the metal alloy is described by the following molecular formula: (Zr, Ti)_a(Ni, Cu, Fe)^(Be, Al, Si, B)_c, wherein "a" is in the range of from

30 to 75, "b" is in the range of from 5 to 60, and "c" is in the range of from 0 to 50 in atomic percentages.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the metal alloy is described by the following molecular formula: (Zr, Ti)_a(Ni, Cu)^(Be)_c, wherein "a" is in the range of from 40 to 75, "b" is in the range of from 5 to 50, and "c" is in the range of from 5 to 50 in atomic percentages.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or composite containing amorphous alloy can sustain strains up to 1.5 % or more without any permanent deformation or breakage.

12. A method of forming and separating of a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or a composite containing amorphous alloy comprising a metal alloy, comprising: providing a feedstock of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy; heating the feedstock, a mold, and a cutting tool to around a glass transition temperature or within a supercooled liquid region of the metal alloy; shaping the heated feedstock into the mold and separating any excess material by the cutting tool to form the desired shape; and cooling the formed part to temperatures far below the glass transition temperature.

13. A method of forming and separating of a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or a composite containing amorphous alloy comprising a metal alloy, comprising: providing the metal alloy; heating the metal alloy to a casting temperature at or above a melting temperature of the metal alloy to form a molten alloy; introducing the molten alloy into a mold; and quenching the molten alloy to a temperature below a glass transition temperature of the metal alloy to form the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy; heating the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy and a cutting tool to around the glass transition temperature or within a supercooled liquid region of the metal alloy; separating any excess material from the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy to form a part having a desired shape; and cooling the part to temperature below the glass transition temperature.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the separating comprises forming microfeatures on a surface of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the microfeatures comprise a hologram.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a mold configured to process a metal alloy to form a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part, wherein the mold is configured to be heated or cooled in a manner such that a time- temperature profile during the metal alloy in the mold does not traverse through a region bounding a crystalline region in a time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagram of the metal alloy, and

a cutting tool configured to cut a portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part, wherein the cutting tool is capable of being heated to a temperature greater than a glass transition temperature (Tg) of the metal alloy and cut the portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part without previously cooling the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part to a temperature near room temperature.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the cutting toot comprises a microfeature on a surface of the cutting tool such that the microfeature can be formed on a surface of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part after cutting the portion of the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy part.

18. A method of forming and separating of a bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or a composite containing amorphous alloy comprising a metal alloy, comprising:

providing the metal alloy;

heating the metal alloy to a casting temperature at or above a melting temperature of the mertal alloy to form a molten alloy;

introducing the molten alloy into a mold; and quenching the molten alloy to a temperature below a glass transition temperature of the metal alloy to form the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy;

heating only the cutting tool to around the glass transition temperature or within a supercooled liquid region of the metal alloy while the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy is at temperature below Tg;

separating any excess material from the bulk solidifying amorphous alloy or the composite containing amorphous alloy to form a part having a desired shape; and

cooling the part to temperature below the glass transition temperature.