Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
Molding of fine surface features into a bulk metallic glass (BMG) from the molten state was investigated. It was studied down to which a feature size in a mold could be reproduced in the BMG. A new casting apparatus was designed and built to carry out the experiments. The BMG used was Vitreloy 1™, Zr41.24Ti13.75Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5, and it was observed to replicate mold features down to several nanometers. This has been verified with SEM photographs of both the mold surfaces and the BMG parts. Processing variables, including the injection temperature of the molten BMG and the atmosphere, in which it is molded, appear to have a great effect on the ability to reproduce the fine features on the mold surface.