Revue de Métallurgie

Table of Contents - 2012 - Volume 109, Issue 01 (Topical issue on "Metallic glasses and related composites")  

Research Article

Spark plasma sintering for metallic glasses processing

L. Perrière, M.-T. Thaï, S. Tusseau-Nenez, P. Ochin, M. Blétry and Y. Champion

ICMPE, CNRS UMR 7182, 2-8 rue Henri Dunant, 94320 Thiais, France. e-mail: champion@icmpe.cnrs.fr

Abstract

Development of metallic glasses is hindered by the difficulties in manufacturing bulk parts. We report on the preparation of glassy alloys using the spark plasma sintering of gas atomized powders. The Zr57Cu20Al10Ni8Ti5 alloy processed has a high glass forming ability. Densification is obtained at the glass transition temperature (390 °C) under high pressure (≈500 MPa). Systematic study of the effect of powder particles size and sintering time is performed through structural and thermal analyses. Local and partial devitrification of the amorphous alloy is detected, resulting from local temperature overshoots. From these analyses, an approach of the spark plasma sintering mechanism of metallic glasses is proposed.

(Received November 16 2011)

(Accepted November 18 2011)

(Online publication March 13 2012)

Key Words:

  • Metallic glass;
  • zirconium;
  • spark plasma sintering;
  • mechanism