| Two crystalline Fe-Cr-Mo-Ga-Si alloys were prepared by copper mold casting using various types of crucible materials. The materials were derived from a bulk metallic glass-forming composition with the aim to enhance the ductility of this high-strength alloy. The rods obtained under different conditions show significantly varying microstructures and mechanical properties. The best mechanical characteristics were found for samples, which essentially consist of ductile Ga-rich dendrites dispersed in high-strength Cr- and Mo-rich interdendritic phase(s). The combination of the soft and hard phases results in a composite material with high fracture strength (about 3 GPa) connected with very good plasticity (up to 13%). The discovery of new high-strength Fe-based materials with a good deformability is an important step ahead for the further development of Fe-based alloys as engineering materials. |
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