Atomistic study of fracture behavior of metallic glass fiber reinforced metal-matrix nanocomposite during bending creep deformation process

Abstract In the present work, the effect of reinforcement fiber diameter on elevated temperature bending creep deformation behavior of metal matrix composite is studied. Bending creep tests have been performed on Ni nanocomposite considering different fiber diameters using molecular dynamics simulations. Common neighbor analysis and dislocation analysis have been performed to analyze the deformation behavior and its underlying mechanism at the atomic scale during the bending creep process. Results have revealed that the specimen having thinner fiber exhibits better creep properties and higher plasticity due to the combined influence of shear band interactions and work softening. Whereas, work hardening and twin-detwin mechanisms are responsible for the quasi-cleavage fracture of the specimen having 4 nm diameter fiber.