Magical patterns on the fracture surface of brittle bulk metallic glasses

A series of characteristic patterns on the fracture surface of brittle bulk metallic glasses， including river-like patterns, dimple structures and self-organized corrugations, are briefly described and possible explanations for their formation are summarized. Studies of these patterns can reveal and further our understanding of the fracture mechanism and mechanical behavior of the material. Moreover, this will be helpful for the design of high-performance metallic glasses and for defining safety criteria when selecting materials for engineering purposes.