Wear resistance of amorphous alloys and related materials

Amorphous alloys, and the partially or fully crystallised materials derived from them, can have properties attractive for a diverse range of applications. In some cases, their wear resistance can be of primary concern, in others, it is an important secondary property. The distinctive mechanical properties of amorphous alloys make their wear resistance of fundamental interest also. This review focuses on the influence of a variety of factors in wear testing, on the mechanisms of wear, on the characteristics of different categories of amorphous alloy, and on the effects of partial or complete crystallisation. It is shown that amorphous alloys can have very good resistance to sliding and abrasive wear. The wear resistance of related quasicrystalline phases is also considered.