Prediction of Spontaneous Plastic Deformation of Irradiated Metallic Glasses due to Thermal Spike-Induced Plasticity

RE Baumer and MJ Demkowicz, MATERIALS RESEARCH LETTERS, 2, 221-226 (2014).

DOI: 10.1080/21663831.2014.916760

Using large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, we predict that knock- on damage in irradiated metallic glasses yields spontaneous anisotropic deformation, i.e. shape change in the absence of externally applied loads. The root cause of this behavior is anisotropic plastic deformation around non-spherical thermal spikes. Such thermal spike- induced plasticity (TSIP) does not depend on electronic excitations and is distinct from the 'ion hammer' effect. Macroscale TSIP is predicted to occur under unidirectional heavy ion and neutron irradiation. The consequences of TSIP for potential applications of metallic glasses under irradiation are discussed.

Return to Publications page