Orientation-dependent crack-tip blunting and crack propagation in a single crystal BCC iron

SK Paul and S Kumar and S Tarafder, BULLETIN OF MATERIALS SCIENCE, 41, 148 (2018).

DOI: 10.1007/s12034-018-1661-8

Atomistic simulations of cracks with four different orientations in body-centered cubic single crystal iron are presented using molecular dynamics. Crystal orientation has considerable effect on the activation and evolution of crack propagation mechanisms. The results reveal that (a) crack-tip blunting depends on the crystallographic orientation, (b) continuous generation of dislocations form crack tip occurs for large crack-tip blunting, and (c) absence of deformation activities like dislocation generation, twin formation, etc. at the crack tip results in crack propagation in a brittle manner.

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