Evaluation of the trend to formación of glassy metals based on zirconium with low oxygen contents

• Grant number: 19/25930-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2020
• End date: January 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Falcão de Oliveira
• Grantee: Lucas Trindade Pereira
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Amorphous metals, although not widespread, have been gaining space in the scientific world due to their unique properties, which differs from commonly used metals. This is due to the absence of long-range atomic organization seen in crystalline metals. In the current scenario, the production of Bulk Metallic Glasses (BMGs) is still restricted to parts with a maximum of a few millimeters, because in their manufacturing process are required a very clean inert atmosphere and a very high cooling rate, furthermore, the oxygen has a major influence on the rate of crystal formation. The main objective of this project is to analyze the influence of the variation of oxygen contents in these amorphous alloys and what this generates in their microstructure. Analyzed mainly by the optical microscopy technique, because the crystals formed due to the presence of oxygen, in general, have micrometer size. Oxygen contents will be measured in an inert atmosphere by fusion and extraction technique. For the production of these alloys the electric arc fusion technique, in an inert controlled atmosphere furnace, where it is kept cooling by water. For coiling will be used as a copper mold, which will also be water-cooled, and the metal will fill it by a pressure difference provided by the vacuum pump. (AU)