Fracture of complex metallic alloys: an atomistic study of model systems

Abstract

Molecular dynamics simulations of crack propagation are performed for two extreme cases of complex metallic alloys. In a model quasicrystal the structure is determined by clusters of atoms, whereas the model C15 Laves phase is a simple periodic stacking of a unit cell. The simulations reveal that the basic building units of the structures also govern their fracture behaviour. Atoms in the Laves phase play a comparable role with the clusters in the quasicrystal. Although the latter are not rigid units, they have to be regarded as significant physical entities.

Acknowledgement

Financial support from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft under contract TR 154/20-1 is gratefully acknowledged.

Notes

†A similar behaviour is observed for the orientation shown in figure 1b and c.