Study on the horizontal continuous casting of Cu-based bulk metallic glass slab

•A novel approach to the fabrication of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) has been proposed by applying the horizontal continuous casting (HCC) method.•HCC BMGs slab maintains mechanical properties with compressive strength of 1803 MPa. It significantly improved production efficiency compared with traditional preparation method such as copper injection or suction, and as a consequence, has broad prospects in industrial applications.•The fracture morphology is characterized by limited rheological deformation and highlocalization of shear band expansion, which results in a mixed fracture mode of ductile andbrittle. To improve the fabrication efficiency of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) with high mechanical properties and low costs, Cu47Zr45Al8 and (Cu47Zr45Al8)98.5Y1.5slabs with the cross-section of 50 ×6 mm were produced by horizontal continuous casting method (HCC). It is proved that by adding Y to Cu47Zr45Al8, the crystallization behavior could be significantly decreased, and an amorphous structure was obtained when it was casted at DT=80 K. The obtained amorphous structure was proved by XRD, TEM, DSC analysis. The glass transition behavior and crystallization were identified with Tgof 671 K, Txof 771 K, ΔTxof 80 K, andΔH0of 46.2 J/g, respectively. In terms of mechanical properties, the compressive strength and Vickers hardness reached 1803 MPa and 493 HV, respectively. Fracture morphology revealed that the fracture is characterized by limited rheological deformation and high localization of shear band expansion, which results in a mixed fracture mode of ductile and brittle.