Regulated color-changing metallic glasses

作者：Wang, P. F.; Jiang, H. Y.; Shi, J. A.; Liu, M.; Gu, L.; Zhou, W.; Orava, J.; Sun, Y. H.^*; Wang, W. H.; Bai, H. Y.^*

来源：Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2021, 876: 160139.

DOI：10.1016/j.jallcom.2021.160139

• Metallic glass
• Oxidation
• Surface
• Amorphous oxides
• Color changing

A new type of color-changing metallic glasses is discovered: the color can change continuously and spontaneously under ambient conditions. The colors are created mostly by the light interference in the surface metallic-oxide layer and partially by the optical bandgap energy of the formed yttrium-doped cerium oxide. Although metal oxidation is a natural consequence for most metals, this series of yttrium doped and cerium-based metallic glasses are special because i) the oxidation is continuous, allowing color changing; ii) the oxide layer is uniform in thickness avoiding stain and corrosion; and iii) the colors can change as fast as in days. The color-changing functionality is greatly connected to the oxygen affinity of the cerium constituent, the glassy structure devoid of grain boundaries, and the regulation from the yttrium dopant. This work not only demonstrates a new direction for metal oxidation but also points out new applications of metallic glass.

• 单位
  中国科学院研究生院