Thermoplastic forming metallic glass textures from glass molds

Abstract

A thermoplastic forming method is provided for replicating the fine texture from a glass (e.g., silicate) mold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of thermoplastic forming a metallic glass comprising:
 placing a metallic glass on a glass mold having a portion of a surface with a fine surface texture;   heating the glass mold to a processing temperature above the glass transition temperature of the metallic glass;   applying a pressure to the glass mold; and   cooling the metallic glass to form an article replicating the fine surface texture from the portion of the glass mold.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fine surface texture has a surface depth in the micron range. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the surface of the glass mold is chemically etched. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic glass comprises a material selected from a group consisting of Zr-based, Pt-based, Ni-Based, Fe-based, Ti-based, Pd-based, Au-based, Ag-based, Cu-based, Al-based, and Mo-based. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing temperature is lower than the crystallization temperature of a metallic glass. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the article is in an amorphous phase. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic glass has a TTT crystallization curve. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a trajectory of the processing temperature versus time does not cross the TTT crystallization curve to void crystallization. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic glass comprises a metallic glass feedstock in a form of sheet, film, or rod. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the glass mold is a silicate glass mold. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the glass surface texture is a silicate glass surface texture. 
     
     
         12 . A metallic glass having a fine surface texture as a glass surface texture, wherein the fine surface texture has a surface roughness ranging from 0.1 μm to 10 μm or a surface depth variation from −3 μm to 10 μm. 
     
     
         13 . The metallic glass of  claim 12 , wherein the surface depth is from −1 μm to 3 μm. 
     
     
         14 . The metallic glass of  claim 12 , wherein the surface roughness is from 0.1 μm to 3 μm. 
     
     
         15 . The metallic glass of  claim 12 , wherein the metallic glass comprises a material selected from a group consisting of Zr-based, Pt-based, Ni-Based, Fe-based, Ti-based, Pd-based, Au-based, Ag-based, Cu-based, Al-based, and Mo-based. 
     
     
         16 . The metallic glass of  claim 12 , wherein the fine surface texture has a surface roughness Sa within 30% of the Sa of the glass mold. 
     
     
         17 . The metallic glass of  claim 12 , wherein the fine surface texture has a surface roughness Sq within 30% of the Sq of the glass mold. 
     
     
         18 . The metallic glass of  claim 12 , wherein the glass surface texture is a silicate glass surface texture. 
     
     
         19 . The metallic glass of  claim 12 , wherein the glass surface texture is obtained by chemical etching. 
     
     
         20 . The metallic glass of  claim 12 , wherein the fine surface texture is formed from thermoplastic forming.