Atomistic simulations of effects of Zr solute and loading mode on mechanical behavior of nanocrystalline Cu

CD Wu and HX Li, JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS, 130, 075102 (2021).

DOI: 10.1063/5.0055939

The effects of Zr solute and loading mode on the structure, mechanics, and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline (NC)-Cu are studied using molecular dynamics simulations. Doping Zr atoms into NC-Cu systems stabilizes grain boundaries, suppresses dislocation nucleation and propagation, and increases the elastic deformation phase during tensile, compressive, and shear deformation processes. The tensile and shear strengths of NC-Cu/Zr systems are maximum at Zr concentrations of 5% and 3%, respectively. Young's modulus and mechanical strength of NC-Cu/Zr systems under compression both decrease with increasing Zr concentration. Grain boundary sliding dominates shear deformation and induces dislocation activity.

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