The goal of this Grant Opportunities for Liaison with Industry (GOALI) research project is to develop a miniature fabrication method based on thermoplastic forming with bulk metallic glasses (BMGs). BMGS are a new class of engineering materials with very high strength, elasticity and corrosion resistance that can be processed like plastics when thermoplasically formed in their supercooled liquid region. Within the proposed fabrication method the BMG is reheated into the supercooled liquid region where it is molded under an applied pressure into molds of various shapes and sizes. The correlation between forming pressure, processing time, temperature and forming behavior will be established for various BMG alloys on different molds to determine the optimal processing conditions. In order to create 3-dimensional parts the fabrication method will be comprised of a molding process, a hot-scraping method, and a surface smoothening process, to yield high precision 3-dimensional miniature parts with an ultra smooth surface finish. To develop a cost effective method silicon molds have to be replaced. Since the required processing temperatures do not permit the use of polymer molds, alternatively, the use of carbon molds which are synthesized by the pyrolyzing of polymers.
If successful, the results of this research will lay the foundation of a novel miniature fabrication method based on thermoplastic forming with bulk metallic glass. Determining of the correlation between processing parameters and forming behavior can be used as a foundation of a model description of a wide range of processes based on thermoplastic forming with BMGs. Within this method 3-dimensional miniature parts can be produced with highest precision and surface smoothness in a cost effective manner. These processing advantages and the superior properties of the BMG over currently used miniature forming materials suggest that the proposed method might replace currently used miniature fabrication methods as the most cost effective process.
