Mechanical Amorphization of Glass-Forming Systems Induced by Oscillatory Deformation: The Energy Absorption and Efficiency Control

The kinetic process of mechanical amorphization plays a central role in tailoring material properties. Therefore, a quantitative understanding of how this process depends on loading parameters is critical for optimizing mechanical amorphization and tuning material performance. In this study, we employ molecular dynamics simulations to investigate oscillatory deformation-induced amorphization in three glass-forming intermetallic systems, addressing two unresolved challenges: (1) the relationship between amorphization efficiency and mechanical loading, and (2) energy absorption dynamics during crystal-to-amorphous (CTA) transitions. Our results demonstrate a decoupling between amorphization efficiency--governed by work rate and described by an effective temperature model--and energy absorption, which adheres to the Herschel-Bulkley constitutive relation. Crucially, the melting enthalpy emerges as a key determinant of the energy barrier, establishing a thermodynamic analogy between mechanical amorphization and thermally induced melting. This relationship provides a universally applicable metric to quantify amorphization kinetics. By unifying material properties and loading conditions, this work establishes a predictive framework for controlling amorphization processes. These findings advance the fundamental understanding of deformation-driven phase transitions and offer practical guidelines for designing materials with tailored properties for ultrafast fabrication, ball milling, and advanced mechanical processing techniques.