SBIR Phase I: Economical Fabrication of Bulk Metallic Glass Sheets through Roll-Stretching

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is that it will provide the metal manufacturing industry with bulk metallic glass (BMG) sheets. BMGs are fundamentally different from, and advantageous to, crystalline metals, as they are stronger than most crystalline metals but at the same time shapeable like plastics. The key to industrializing BMGs is providing a practical feedstock material, such as BMG sheets, with which manufactures can use BMGs unique processability to fabricate complex shapes at highest precision and ease through thermoplastic forming (TPF) methods. A successful outcome of proposed research will empower manufacturers to make use of BMGs much more broadly and effectively, as BMG sheets will bridge the gap between currently expensive, customized BMG components of limited geometrical variety, and affordable, standardized BMG feedstock material in the future. Overall, the proposed work will lay a critical foundation to enable much broader commercial application of BMGs, such as in Biomedical, Nano-imprint, Electronic casing, Defense, Aerospace, or Automotive, and open an opportunity for US manufacturing to be at the center of this new manufacturing paradigm. This project evaluates the recent scientific discovery of TPF based roll-stretching of BMGs as a low force deformation method. We expect our findings to lead to a better understanding of TPF-based processes for BMGs. Specifically for TPF-based sheet fabrication, proposed work will reveal the process stability and how stability is affected by processing parameters. Proposed research will also determine the effects of TPF-based processing on the mechanical properties of the BMG and will help identify suitable BMG types for roll-stretching. At the same time, our study will provide detailed insights into commercial feasibility of BMG sheets. Process viability will be evaluated considering processing time, process robustness and repeatability, dimensional accuracy, surface finish, capital investment and material cost. The identification of processing parameters and process requirements such as temperature gradients and deformation conditions required for a high stability which is quantified in the sheet thickness variation will build the foundation for the design and realization of a commercially viable roll-stretch process and apparatus. In addition, proposed work will also enhance the theoretical understanding of roll-stretching which lay the foundation for a predictable and quantitative model description of a new material and processing paradigm.