Shock resistance capability of multi-principal elemental alloys as a function of lattice distortion and grain size

This article aims to study the shock resistance capability of multi-element alloys. In this study, we utilized nonequilibrium molecular dynamics-based simulations with an embedded atom method potential to predict the deformation governing mechanism in a multi-elemental alloy system subjected to shock loading. The evolution of shock front width, longitudinal stress, shear stress, and dislocation density were investigated for different polycrystalline multi-element systems containing different mean grain sizes of 5, 10, and 18 nm, respectively. In order to quantify the effect of lattice distortion, average atom (A-atom) potential for quinary (high entropy) and ternary (medium entropy) configurations was also developed in this work. The random composition of multi-element alloys was replaced with single atom-based A-atom arrangements to study the effect of lattice distortion on shock resistance capabilities of high entropy alloy and medium entropy alloy. It was predicted from simulations that a higher value of lattice distortion component in the CoCrCuFeNi alloy leads to provide superior resistance against shock wave propagation as compared to the ternary alloy CrFeNi. In nanocrystalline configurations, dislocations, and stacking faults, only dislocations governed the deformation mechanics in monocrystalline configurations. The simulations indicate that grain size significantly affects the rates of generation of secondary/partial dislocations, hence affecting the stresses and the deformation mechanism of the structures.