Abstract:
As a prototypical long-range disordered metastable material, the dynamic relaxation behavior of amorphous alloys is significantly influenced by factors such as temporal evolution, temperature history, and loading history. However, due to their inherent non-equilibrium spatiotemporal evolution and the presence of multi-scale relaxation dynamics under external stimuli, the underlying physical mechanisms governing the relationship between macroscopic deformation responses and microscopic structural evolution remain insufficiently understood, necessitating further investigation into the relevant dynamic regulation mechanisms. In this study, La
60Ni
15Al
25 amorphous alloy, characterized by pronounced \beta relaxation, was selected as the model system to conduct stress relaxation experiments over a wide temperature range for samples with different initial energy states. By analyzing the evolution of key dynamic relaxation parameters, including the characteristic relaxation time, stretched exponent, nominal activation energy, and nominal activation volume, the intrinsic distinctions and synergistic effects of temperature and physical aging on the dynamical relaxation behavior of amorphous alloys were elucidated. The results reveal that stress relaxation is predominantly mediated by \beta relaxation at lower temperatures, where the system exhibits a highly heterogeneous potential energy landscape, leading to enhanced dynamic heterogeneity, a broad distribution of relaxation times, and pronounced non-exponential relaxation behavior. In contrast, α relaxation progressively dominates at higher temperatures, facilitated by increased atomic mobility under thermal activation. This transition is accompanied by a significant reduction in activation energy barriers, a narrowing of relaxation time distribution and the overall shift towards a more homogeneous and exponential relaxation response. Further investigations on samples subjected to different annealing states indicate that physical aging promotes dynamic heterogeneity by deepening potential energy valleys and enhancing structural densification, whereas elevated temperatures facilitate relaxation homogenization and cooperative atomic rearrangements via thermal activation. These effects collectively shape the kinetic relaxation characteristics of amorphous alloys across varying energy states. This study provides fundamental insights into the multi-scale relaxation dynamics of amorphous solids and offers a theoretical framework for understanding the interplay between thermal and aging effects, contributing to the design and optimization of amorphous alloys with enhanced thermal stability and mechanical performance.