Mechanical Properties and Deformation Mechanisms of Nanocrystalline U-10Mo Alloys by Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Abstract

U-Mo alloys were considered to be the most promising candidates for high-density nuclear fuel. The uniaxial tensile behavior of nanocrystalline U-10Mo alloys with average grain sizes of 8–23 nm was systematically studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, mainly focusing on the influence of average grain size on the mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms. The results show that Young’s modulus, yield strength and ultimate tensile strength follow as average grain size increases. During the deformation process, localized phase transitions were observed in samples. Grain boundary sliding and grain rotation, as well as twinning, dominated the deformation in the smaller and larger grain sizes samples, respectively. Increased grain size led to greater localized shear deformation, resulting in greater stress drop. Additionally, we elucidated the effects of temperature and strain rate on tensile behavior and found that lower temperatures and higher strain rates not only facilitated the twinning tendency but also favored the occurrence of phase transitions in samples. Results from this research could provide guidance for the design and optimization of U-10Mo alloys materials.