Electromagnetic forming of metallic glasses using a capacitive discharge and magnetic field

A magnetic forming apparatus for rapidly heating and shaping an amorphous metal using electrical energy discharge in the presence of a magnetic field generating an electromagnetic force comprising:

• a sample of an amorphous metal, said sample having a substantially uniform cross-section;
• a source of electrical energy;
• at least two electrodes interconnecting said source of electrical energy to said sample of amorphous metal, said electrodes being attached to said sample such that substantially uniform connections are formed between said electrodes and said sample, wherein said source of electrical energy is capable of producing a quantum of electrical energy along an electric field axis sufficient to uniformly heat the entirety of said sample to a processing temperature such that the viscosity of the amorphous metal lies between about 1 Pa-s to about 105 Pa-s;
• a static magnetic field source disposed such that a static magnetic field is produced transverse to the electric field axis;
• and
• wherein said static magnetic field in association with said quantum of electric energy is capable of generating an electromagnetic deformational force sufficient to form said heated sample to a shaped article.