An Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Superplastic Forming Method for Zr-Based Bulk Amorphous Alloys: Experiment and Simulation

The processing of bulk amorphous alloys is typically realized through superplastic deformation in the supercooled liquid region, and current research efforts predominantly focus on enhancing formability by optimizing processing parameters such as temperature and duration. However, excessive temperatures or prolonged exposure times can induce crystallization, which severely compromises the mechanical and functional properties of the alloy. This study presents the design of an ultrasonic vibration (UV)-assisted metal hot-forming apparatus that integrates an ultrasonic vibration field into the superplastic flow deformation of amorphous alloys. High-temperature compression experiments were conducted on Zr55Cu30Al10Ni5 amorphous alloy, and finite element simulations were performed to model the experimental process. Results show that ultrasonic vibration reduces the flow stress of the amorphous alloy, thereby enhancing its superplastic deformation capability. Simulation analysis reveals that surface effects arise from periodic interface separation between the pressure plate and the specimen caused by ultrasonic vibration, leading to a cyclic disappearance of friction forces, which manifest macroscopically as a reduction in effective friction. On the other hand, vibration introduces additional strain rates. Since the undercooled liquid of amorphous alloys exhibits non-Newtonian fluid behavior characterized by shear-thinning, ultrasonic vibration assistance can effectively reduce the apparent viscosity, thereby improving their filling capacity.