J. Mater. Sci. Technol. ›› 2023, Vol. 142: 76-88.DOI: 10.1016/j.jmst.2022.09.028

• Research article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Ultra-fast amorphization of crystalline alloys by ultrasonic vibrations

Luyao Lia,1, Guo-Jian Lyub,1, Hongzhen Lic, Caitao Fana, Wenxin Wena, Hongji Lina, Bo Huangd, Sajad Sohrabia, Shuai Rena, Xiong Lianga, Yun-Jiang Wangb,e,*, Jiang Maa,*, Weihua Wangf,g   

  1. aGuangdong Key Laboratory of Electromagnetic Control and Intelligent Robots, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China;
    bState Key Laboratory of Nonlinear Mechanics, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China;
    cNational Engineering Research Center of Near-net-shape Forming for Metallic Materials, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China;
    dInstitute of Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China;
    eSchool of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China;
    fSongshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan 523808, China g Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
  • Received:2022-07-27 Revised:2022-09-05 Accepted:2022-09-05 Online:2022-11-09
  • Contact: *E-mail addresses: . yjwang@imech.ac.cn (Y.-J. Wang), majiang@szu.edu.cn (J. Ma)
  • About author:1These authors contribute equally to this work.

Abstract: Abstract The amorphization of alloys is of both broad scientific interests and engineering significance. Despite considered as an efficient strategy to regulate and even achieve record-breaking properties of metallic materials, a facile and rapid method to trigger solid-state amorphization is still being pursued. Here we report such a method to utilize ultrasonic vibration to trigger amorphization of intermetallic compound. The ultrasonic vibrations can cause tunable amorphization at room temperature and low stress (2 MPa) conveniently. Remarkably, the ultrasonic-induced amorphization could be achieved in 60 s, which is 360 times faster than the ball milling (2.16 ×; 104 s) with the similar proportion of amorphization. The elements redistribute uniformly and rapidly via the activated short-circuit diffusion. Both experimental evidences and simulations show that the amorphous phase initiates and expands at nanograin boundaries, owing to the induction of lattice instability. This work provides a groundbreaking strategy for developing novel materials with tunable structures and properties.

Key words: Amorphization, Ultrasonic vibration, Lattice instability, Elemental diffusion