On the mechanism of material removal in nanometric cutting of metallic glass

Metallic glasses find wide applications in nanotechnology and micro electro-mechanical systems because of their unique physical properties due to their amorphous structures. The material removal mechanism in nanometric cutting of Cu₅₀Zr₅₀, a typical metallic glass, is studied using molecular dynamics method. The chip formation, workpiece deformation and scratching forces under various scratching depths, scratching velocities and temperatures are investigated. The effect of void defect on the cutting behaviors of metallic glass is also explored. The results show that the material removal in nanometric cutting process is based on extrusion instead of shearing, achieving a good understanding of material removal at the nanoscale.