Metallic glasses are a fascinating class of metallic materials that do not display long-range atomic order. Due to their amorphous character and the concomitant lack of dislocations, these materials exhibit mechanical properties that are quite different from those of other solid materials [1,2]. For example, they can be twice as strong as steels, show more elasticity and fracture toughness than ceramics and be less brittle than conventional oxide glasses. In addition to their unique mechanical properties, metallic glasses have also demonstrated interesting physical and chemical properties. For example, some metallic glasses have been found to exhibit superior soft magnetic properties [3], good magnetocaloric effects [4] and outstanding catalytic performance [5], thus having potential for a widespread range of technological applications [6].Metallic glasses become relatively malleable when heated in the supercooled liquid region, allowing moulding and shaping with microscale precision by means of thermoplastic processing [7]. This has facilitated the development of diverse products based on these alloys, including sporting goods, medical and electronic devices and advanced defence and aerospace applications. However, in spite of their large elasticity, metallic glasses exhibit poor room-temperature macroscopic plasticity compared to polycrystalline metals [8]. This low plastic deformation, particularly evidenced when testing metallic glasses under tension, is related to the formation and rapid propagation of shear bands [2]. Therefore, novel routes to enhance plasticity of metallic glasses include procedures to hinder shear band propagation. This can be achieved, for example, by designing composite materials consisting of particles which act as second-phase reinforcements embedded in the amorphous matrix [9,10]. Other approaches towards toughening of metallic glasses have also been developed, such as the preparation of the so-called dual-phase amorphous metals [11], some specific surface treatments (e.g., laser or shot pinning) [12], or making their overall structure porous (i.e., metallic glass foams) [13].
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