Pulse Electrodeposited Ni-26 at. %Mo—A Crossover from Nanocrystalline to Amorphous

A Ni-26 at. %Mo alloy with a composite structure of nanocrystalline and amorphous was synthesized by pulse electrodeposition. The composite structure was composed of mixed regions of amorphous and nanograins divided by a nanocrystalline interface network, which significantly suppressed grain coarsening and shear banding that would otherwise deteriorate mechanical properties of extremely fine nanograined metal. Plastic strain induced significant crystallization accompanied by Mo diffusion from mixed regions to nanograined interfaces. As a result, the Ni-26 at. %Mo alloy exhibited a superior hardness to its nanograined counterparts. The present work demonstrates an example of enhancing mechanical performance with hybrid structures crossover from nanocrystalline to amorphous.