Interface-governed strength-ductility synergy in nano-metallic-glass/aluminum composites

Aluminum (Al) matrix composites typically suffer from a strength-ductility trade-off due to strain localization around hard-and-brittle reinforcements. Here, deformable FeZrB metallic glass nanoparticles were incorporated into pure Al matrix. Various nanoparticle/Al interfacial structures were attained by annealing the composites below the crystallization temperature. The composite reinforced by only 2 vol.% nanoparticles with a partially-diffused interfacial structure achieved optimal strength-ductility synergy, yielding a tensile strength of 537.5 ± 16.1 MPa and a total elongation of 5.0 ± 0.3%. These results were attributed to enhanced interfacial bonding via inter-diffusion across the interface and the cooperative deformation between the metallic glass nanoparticles and the Al matrix.