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Owing to its unique atomic arrangement and electronic structure, metallic glass (MG) has been widely investigated in the field of energy storage and conversion. In the past few decades, multiple strategies have been developed to synthesize bulk and nanosized MG based materials. Here, combining the structure–activity relationship of MG with electrochemical reaction kinetics, the substantial progress of glass structures in electrocatalytic processes are highlighted, including the hydrogen evolution reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, oxygen reduction reaction, methanol oxidation reaction, carbon dioxide reduction reaction, and nitrogen fixation. Meanwhile, applications of MG materials in energy storage devices, like supercapacitors and lithium‐ion batteries, are also introduced in detail. Finally, challenges and possibilities for reasonable design of highly‐efficient MG‐based electrode materials are proposed. The integration of high‐throughput methods, artificial intelligence technology, as well as advanced characterization techniques is fundamental to screen materials with remarkable performance. This review aims to deepen the understanding of the relationship between electronic structure and electrochemical performance, providing guidance for rational design of functional MG materials with outstanding activity, selectivity, and durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Fundamental issues of U-based binary metallic glasses (MGs) have been scarcely studied due to their low thermostability and glass forming ability (GFA). In this work, the glass formation in U–Ni system was reexamined. It is found that currently designed U–Ni glassy alloys in the range of 54–75% U show a pronounced thermal glass transition feature for the first time among binary U-based systems, and also have the glass transition temperature (T g) above 600 K and much stronger thermostability than other similar U-based glasses. The T g presence contributes to the evaluation of their glass transition activation energy, liquid fragility, viscosity as well as the Kauzmann temperature. Moreover, the fragility value of the typical alloy U 69.2 Ni 30.8 is about 20, almost the same as those of the oxide glass formers SiO 2 and GeO 2 , illustrating that U–Ni is a binary strong glass forming system. The reasons for the remarkable T g presence and low fragility together with the GFA level of U-based MGs are discussed. Highlights • U–Ni is determined to be the first binary strong glass-forming system. • U–Ni shows firstly a glass transition feature among binary U-based glass systems. • The critical bulk sample sizes of U-based glasses are evaluated to be above 20 mm in diameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The preparation of bulk U-based metallic glasses has fails for a long time due to weak glass forming ability and the low chemical purity of raw uranium metal. To make bulk glassy samples containing uranium, the compositing approach is adopted in this study. U-involved sphere-dispersed metallic glass matrix composites are successfully in-situ synthesized with suction-casting and tilt-casting by the phase separation alloying of uranium and Zr 41.2 Ti 13.8 Ni 10.0 Cu 12.5 Be 22.5 (Vit-1). These composites are in a large composition range of 3–40 at.% U and with a flexible diameter dimension of not <15 mm. The dispersing phase is α-U solid solution while the matrix is Zr-based. A typical U 30.03 Zr 28.83 Ti 9.66 Ni 7.00 Cu 8.75 Be 15.73 composite exhibits a compressive fracture strength of 1.7 GPa and high corrosion resistance in neutral and alkaline media. Its matrix phase shows higher thermostability and nominal glass forming ability than Vit-1 glass. This work suggests strong application potential of U-bearing glassy materials in nuclear-related fields, and also gives guidance for the development of more advanced uranium alloys. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • U-involved bulk metallic glass matrix composites are produced by phase separation. • The size of the U-involved glassy composites can be not less than 15 mm in diameter. • A U-based composite achieves compressive strength of 1.7 Ga and acceptable anti-corrosion. • The thermal stability of the glassy matrix is stronger than the mother glass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using Al as the third and B as the fourth but minor alloying elements for the U 66.7 Co 33.3 basic metallic glass, a series of U-Co-Al(-B) alloys were designed. The quaternary U-Co-Al-B alloys exhibit significantly improved glass-forming ability (GFA) than previously reported U-based metallic glasses. Low fragility (∼24) is found for these new U-based metallic glasses. The improvement in GFA would result from denser atomic packing in the undercooled liquids due to the presence of small B atoms. Some U-Co-Al(-B) glasses showed corrosion resistance comparable to that of U 64 Co 34 Al 2 glass, known for premium anti-corrosive performance among the unveiled U-based glasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • FeCoBSiNb metallic glass shows pronounced β -relaxation and large tensile plasticity after cryogenic thermal cycling. • Increase of structural heterogeneity leads to pronounced β -relaxation and enhanced tensile plasticity. • β -relaxation exhibits separate peaks with diverse cycling temperatures, which is resulted from different sizes/types of shear transformation zones. The effects of cryogenic thermal cycling (CTC) treatment on tensile plasticity and structure change of [(Fe 0.5 Co 0.5) 0.75 B 0.2 Si 0.05 ] 96 Nb 4 metallic glass (MG) ribbons were systematically investigated. Pronounced β -relaxation peaks locating at 643 and 693 K were observed after CTC treatment with diverse thermal temperatures. Specifically, the CTC treated samples exhibiting most remarkable β -relaxation showed tensile plastic strain of 5.2% at 643 K and 4% at 693 K, while the as-quenched sample only showed tensile plastic strain of 3% at 643 K and 2.1% at 693 K. The pronounced β -relaxation and enhanced tensile plasticity are considered to be originated from the increased structural heterogeneity. The separate β -relaxation peaks result from the different sizes/types of shear transformation zones induced by oscillatory (rejuvenation-relaxation) behavior during thermal cycling. Our results indicate that the CTC treatment has a significant impact on the energy states and structural heterogeneity, which makes it a powerful means to modify the mechanical properties of MGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical amorphization, a widely observed phenomenon, has been utilized to synthesize novel phases by inducing disorder through external loading, thereby expanding the realm of glass-forming systems. Empirically, it has been plausible that mechanical amorphization ability consistently correlates with glass-forming ability. However, through a comprehensive investigation in binary, ternary, and quaternary systems combining neutron diffraction, calorimetric experimental approaches and molecular dynamics simulation, we demonstrate that this impression is only partly true and we reveal that the mechanical amorphization ability can be inversely correlated with the glass forming ability in certain cases To provide insights into these intriguing findings, we present a stress-dependent nucleation theory that offers a coherent explanation for both experimental and simulation results. Our study identifies the intensity of mechanical work, contributed by external stress, as the key control parameter for mechanical amorphization, rendering the ability to tune this process. This discovery not only unravels the underlying correlation between mechanical amorphization and glass-forming ability but also provides a pathway for the design and discovery of new amorphous phases with tailored properties. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Zr-based metallic glasses produced through atomic manufacturing exhibit remarkably enhanced thermal stability and crystallization resistance. • These atomically engineered metallic glasses display synergistically improved strength, hardness and plasticity compared to conventional processing. • Abundant medium range order induced during synthesis leads to concurrent enhancement across multiple properties. • Atomic manufacturing can modulate the energy state and properties of metallic glasses over a wider range than conventional melt-quenching methods. Atomic manufacturing is a new and attractive manufacturing method proposed to prepare metallic glasses (MGs). In this work, the mechanical and stability properties of Zr-based MGs manifested by atomic manufacturing method (pulsed laser deposition) and conventional quenching are investigated. Compared with MGs produced through conventional processing, our atomically engineered glassy state displays synergistically improved properties including strength, hardness and deformability alongside a substantially elevated crystallization resistance. Comprehensive characterization reveals that the concurrent enhancement of multiple properties originates from the abundance of medium-range-order woven into the glassy structure. This work presents an effective path to construct MGs with excellent properties through atomic manufacturing, thereby propelling novel perspectives on harnessing the intrinsically metastable nature of the glassy state for advanced material design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bulk metallic glass composites (BMGCs) with in-situ formed crystals can display tensile ductility at room temperature, overcoming brittleness of monolithic bulk metallic glasses (BMGs). However, the ductility and toughness of BMGCs severely deteriorate at low temperatures, which has been a longstanding bottleneck hindering their low-temperature applications. Here, the low-temperature tensile properties of two Ti-based BMGCs containing stable β-Ti crystals with dislocation-mediated plasticity (Fe1) or shape memory β-Ti crystals (Fe0) were investigated. With temperature decreasing from 298 to 77 K, the strength of Fe1 increases but its tensile ductility decreases. In comparison, the shape memory Fe0 BMGC exhibits a simultaneous enhancement of strength and tensile ductility as temperature decreases from 298 to 143 K. The superior low-temperature properties of Fe0 are attributed to its combined structure of a glassy matrix and shape memory crystals. As temperature decreasing, the glassy matrix possesses an increased strength which softens as shear bands form, and the shape memory crystals are more inclined to deformation-induced martensitic transformation. Therefore, the combination of characteristic properties of metallic glasses and shape memory crystals in shape memory BMGCs can successfully overcome the low-temperature brittleness. These findings are believed to facilitate the development of BMGCs with superior low-temperature properties and promote their applications at low temperatures. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brittleness after annealing treatment severely restricts the subsequent processing and application of Fe-based magnetic metallic glass. Through proper annealing treatment combined with cryogenic thermal cycling, we obtained excellent comprehensive properties of Fe-based metallic glass ribbons with not only good soft magnetic properties but also high bending deformation ability. After thermal cycling, the sample rejuvenated with higher energy state and larger size of soft regions, which facilitated the initiation and branching of shear bands, leading to the improvement of bending plasticity. Although the large soft regions may act as pining sites for domain walls, the domain structure and coercivity of the sample remained nearly identical because of the reduced number of crystal-like structures. Our study indicates that the cryogenic thermal cycling is an effective method to regulate mechanical and magnetic properties, which makes it powerful means to obtain excellent performance of Fe-based magnetic metallic glasses. • Excellent comprehensive properties of Fe-based MG ribbons are obtained through proper annealing and CTC treatments. • The sample rejuvenates with larger soft regions after CTC treatment, leading to the improvement of bending plasticity. • The sample shows similar domain structures with superior soft magnetic properties remaining unchanged after CTC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]