Glassy materials stand out from their crystalline counterparts due to their unique amorphous atomic structure, characterized by long-range disorder and short-range order. This distinct arrangement endues them with a suite of valuable properties, such as isotropy, metastability, high strength, high elasticity, and corrosion resistance. These attributes have not only made glassy materials ubiquitous in everyday items like windows and drinking glasses but also indispensable in high-tech fields like communications and aerospace.
(A diagram illustrating the atomic structure of crystals and glass,
with the left side depicting the crystal and the right side depicting the glass.)
A pioneering example of glassy materials is “metallic glass”, also known as “amorphous alloys”. By rapidly cooling molten metals such as Fe-based, Co-based, or Fe-Ni alloys from high temperatures, one can create materials with a disordered atomic arrangement akin to glass. These materials inherit the microstructural traits of glass while exhibiting exceptional magnetic, mechanical, and chemical properties, making them suitable for a variety of industries, including electronics, communications, transportation, and energy.
Metallic glasses offer significant advantages in the manufacturing of electronic components, with their high saturation magnetic flux density, high magnetic permeability, and low coercivity contributing to the miniaturization and lightweight design of components while reducing energy consumption. For instance, the use of metallic glass in distribution transformers can drastically reduce no-load losses, and when applied in high-speed motors, it can significantly enhance operational efficiency, demonstrating clear energy-saving benefits.
Different forms of amorphous alloys.
The high strength of metallic glasses is another area where they excel. For example, the fracture strength of cobalt-based bulk metallic glass can reach up to 6.0 GPa, which is several times that of conventional structural steels. Moreover, the high elastic limit of metallic glasses is several to several tens of times that of typical crystalline alloys. This characteristic has been leveraged in applications such as golf club heads made from zirconium-based metallic glass, which can transfer nearly 99% of energy to the ball, resulting in a 1.3 times increase in driving distance compared to conventional clubs.
Electronic components
Beyond their mechanical properties, metallic glasses also show great potential as functional materials. They provide innovative solutions for addressing environmental pollution and energy storage issues. For example, certain metallic glasses can efficiently degrade azo dye solutions, and through dealloying, they can be transformed into nano-porous structures with enhanced ionic and electronic transport properties, which could be applied in flexible self-supported supercapacitor electrodes.
Application field of metallic glass - Power distribution transformers
The catalytic activity of metallic glasses in hydrogen evolution reactions opens new avenues for energy conversion and catalysis technologies. The multifunctionality and innovative potential of these materials suggest a bright future for their application in various fields, including energy, healthcare, and defense technology.
Wireless charging for electric vehicles
The emergence of metallic glass signifies a transformative development in the field of materials science, promising continued advancements in various sectors. The relentless pursuit of innovation in new material technologies is the driving force and enduring hope for the ongoing progress in this domain.
Source: Xinbo Network (新玻网)
