Role of interface structure on the plastic response of Cu/Nb nanolaminates under shock compression: Non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations

Abstract

We utilize non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to reveal the dislocation processes underlying the recently observed pronounced effect of bimetal interface structures on the plastic response of Cu/Nb nanolayered composites to shock compression. Critical shock pressures to nucleate and transmit dislocations across an atomically flat interface are shown to be substantially higher than those from a faceted interface, due to atomic-level interface characteristics that cause these two types of interfaces to nucleate, absorb and transmit dislocations by significantly different mechanisms.