Dislocation-assisted grain growth in nanocrystalline copper under large deformation

Abstract

Dislocation plasticity would conventionally induce textures in polycrystalline metals after a large deformation. We used parallel molecular dynamics (MD) to simulate the plastic deformation of nanocrystalline copper to an isochoric stretch up to 100% logarithmic strain. We found that the movements of partial dislocations that dominate the deformation process do not lead to texture formation. The grain size distribution becomes extremely inhomogeneous. By observing the structural evolution, we demonstrate that partial dislocations assisted the grain growth that destroys the texture. © 2007 Springer.