Enhancing plasticity of metallic glasses via rejuvenation: A review

Recent attention has been directed towards tailoring the internal structure and enhancing the plasticity of metallic glasses (MGs) via rejuvenation treatments. This work aims to comprehensively review the various approaches and underlying mechanisms of inducing rejuvenation in MGs, including thermal-activated methods for deep-cooling cycling treatments and annealing-induced regeneration, mechanical-driven methods of pre-elastic loading and plastic deformation, thermo-mechanically coupled methods for thermo-mechanical creep and thermoplastic forming, and irradiation-induced rejuvenation. Additionally, strategies such as gradient rejuvenation for promoting a favorable distribution of free volume gradients to deflect shear bands are discussed for enhancing plasticity. Finally, the review delves into the challenges and prospects associated with advancing the development of MGs exhibiting high plasticity at ambient conditions. This review is anticipated to contribute to fostering a systematic understanding of the diverse methods and mechanisms employed to enhance the plasticity of MGs via rejuvenation treatments.