Dynamic Compression Response of Porous Zirconium-Based Bulk Metallic Glass (Zr41Ti14Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5) Honeycomb: A Numerical Study

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) are a unique class of materials that possess high yield strength and elastic limit. In view of their high yield strength and elastic limit, BMG honeycombs are attractive for mechanical energy absorption applications. However, the inability to synthesize BMGs in bulk form hinders their practical applications. In this context, additive manufacturing techniques provide a promising route to fabricate BMG honeycomb in bulk form. Because additive manufactured BMGs are porous, the manner in which a porous BMG honeycomb absorbs energy at various strain rates needs to be probed to suit this material for diverse practical applications. In this numerical study, we explore the effect of pore density (0, 5, 1.0, 15, and 20% by volume), strain rate (10, 100, and 1,000/s), and slenderness ratio (edge length to height: −0.5, 1, and 1.5) of a zirconium (Zr)-based BMG (Zr41Ti14Cu12.5Ni10Be22.5) honeycomb on its compression response through finite element simulations. The results are depicted in terms of stress–strain curves and energy–time curves. The energy absorption ability of the honeycomb with higher slenderness ratio increased from 98.6 kJ to 336.71 kJ at 20% porosity, while at 0% porosity, it increased from 118 kJ to 419.1 kJ as the strain rate was increased from 10 to 1,000/s. However, at 10% porosity, honeycomb of intermediate slenderness ratio (i.e., 1.0) exhibited the largest energy absorption to the order of 258 kJ at the strain rate of 1,000/s.