Molecular dynamics study on the nano-void growth and coalescence at grain boundary

Abstract

Molecular dynamics simulations using embedded atom method (EAM) potential were performed to study nano-void growth and coalescence at grain boundary in face-centered cubic bicrystal copper. Thin-plate specimens subjected to uniaxial tension strain with one-void and two-void at the centered grain boundary were employed to analyze the effect of specimen size, temperature and applied strain rate on the stress-strain response, incipient yield strength and macroscopic effective Young’s modulus. The evolutions of dislocations, twin bands and void shapes under different specimen sizes were also presented. The obtained results show that, regardless of the void numbers, the specimen sizes, temperature, the applied strain rate had significant influence on the void shape evolution, stress-strain curve and incipient yield strength, while negligible effects on the macroscopic effective Young’s modulus except for the temperature. Moreover, the voids growth rate along the grain boundary was also found to be associated with the specimen sizes.