Effect of alloying elements on the microstructure and corrosion behavior of TiZr-based bulk metallic glasses

Abstract In this work, the effect of substituting Cu with small amounts of Sn and Si on the passive behavior and pitting resistance of the bulk metallic glass Ti40Zr10Cu36Pd14 was investigated. The Sn/Si substitution promoted homogenization of the solid solution and limited the presence of casting defects. In addition, unlike the heterogeneous passive film grown on TiZrCuPd, the passive films of the micro-alloyed materials were homogeneous, implying less sensitivity to film weakening and breakdown. Thus, alloying with small amounts of Sn and Si appears to be a viable approach to drastically improve the corrosion resistance of TiZrCuPd.