Patent ID: 8613814

Claim:
A method of rapidly heating and forging a metallic glass using a rapid capacitor discharge comprising: providing a sample of metallic glass formed from a metallic glass forming alloy between at least two forging plates, said sample having a substantially uniform cross-section; discharging a quantum of electrical energy of at least 50 Joules uniformly through said sample to uniformly heat the sample at a rate of at least 500K/sec to a processing temperature between the glass transition temperature of the metallic glass and the equilibrium melting point of the metallic glass forming alloy; applying a deformational force through the at least two forging plates to shape the heated sample into an amorphous article while the heated sample is still at a temperature between the glass transition temperature of the metallic glass and the equilibrium melting point of the metallic glass forming alloy; and Cooling said article to a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the metallic glass.