Identification of atomistic mechanisms for grain boundary migration in [001] twist boundaries: molecular dynamics simulations

• Author / Creator

  Yan, Xinan

• In this thesis, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to characterize the atomic motions governing grain boundary migration in a series of [001] twist boundaries. Particularly, migrations of a θ=36.87° Σ5, a θ=22.63° Σ13 and a θ=40.23° general high angle [001] twist boundaries driven by stored elastic energy in fcc Ni were investigated. Atomic motions during migration were identified as the combination of single atom jump and string-like cooperative atomic motions. The simulation results confirmed that the collective 4-atom shuffle motion was the rate controlling atomic motion during the migration of Σ5 twist boundary. As grain boundary local symmetry decreasing, string-like cooperative atomic motions became increasingly important. Eventually, both random single atom jump and string-like cooperative motions became dominant during the migration of general non-Σ twist boundary. Furthermore, simulations showed that activation energy for grain boundary migration was well correlated with the average string length occurring within boundary.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Grain boundary migration
  • Molecular dynamics simulations
  • Mechanisms

• Graduation date

  Fall 2009

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3XT6S

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.