Fatigue property improvements of ZK60 magnesium alloy: Effects of thin film metallic glass

Publication date: 1 October 2016
Source:Thin Solid Films, Volume 616
Author(s): C.H. Chang, C.M. Lee, J.P. Chu, P.K. Liaw, S.C.J. Jang
The application of thin film metallic glass (TFMG) has been shown to improve the fatigue characteristics of ZK60 magnesium alloys. This paper reports on the deposition of Zr51Cu32Al10Ni7 (Z-TFMG) and W70Ni20B10 (W-TFMG) on ZK60 Mg alloy to a thickness of 200nm and its effect on fatigue characteristics. In four-point-bending fatigue studies at room temperature, the fatigue limits of the bare, W-, and Z-TFMG-coated Mg alloys were 225, 270, and 280MPa, respectively. These values indicate that the TFMG coatings improved fatigue resistance by as much as 24% through 10⁷ cycles. The hardness of TFMGs, their excellent adhesion to the substrate, and the resulting reduction in surface roughness are believed to account for the enhanced fatigue characteristics.