Mechanical properties and ion irradiation of bulk amorphous Zr55Cu30Al10Ni5 alloy

The bulk amorphous Zr₅₅Cu₃₀Al₁₀Ni₅ alloy is one of the widely studied Zr-based alloys due to very attractive thermal and mechanical properties. Alloy ribbons and bulk samples were synthesized by Cu mould casting and characterized by SEM/EDS, DSC and XRD. Mechanical properties like Vicker’s hardness, nanohardness and elastic modulus etc. were measured. Ion irradiation of the samples was carried out to enhance the surface properties without altering the amorphous nature of the bulk material. Ion irradiation by singly charged Ar⁺ enhanced the hardness as well as elastic modulus considerably.