Vol.11, No1, 2011, pp.21-25
UDC 539.374

The focus of this paper is on the plastic deformation and microstructure evolution of crystalline material during sliding. Molecular dynamic simulations of Cu/Fe contact blocks have been performed under a pressure of 500 MPa and velocities ranging from 20 m/s to 1300 m/s. The results show that severe plastic deformation occurs in the Cu block while the Fe block does not deform plastically during the sliding. Accompanied with the occurrence of plastic deformation, the mixing of Fe atoms into the Cu block and growth of bcc Cu layer on the Fe surface are observed at the sliding interface. By investigating the mean square displacement of different regions of Fe block and velocity profiles along the cross section of the two blocks, the diffusion process of Fe atoms and the fluid-like behaviour of Cu atoms are also analysed.

Keywords: molecular dynamics, plastic deformation, microstructure, crystalline material, velocity profile