Molecular Dynamics Studies of Spalling and Melting in Shocked Nanocrystalline Pb

Abstract

The mechanisms of spalling and melting in nanocrystalline Pb under shock loading are studied by molecular dynamics simulations. Our results show that grain boundaries have significant influences on spalling behaviors in cases of classical spallation and releasing melting. In these cases, cavitation and melting both start on grain boundaries, and they display mutual promotion: melting makes the voids nucleate at smaller tensile stress, and void growth speeds melting. Due to grain boundary effects, the spall strength of nanocrystalline Pb varies slowly with the shock intensity in cases of classical spallation. In cases of releasing melting and compression melting, spall strength of both single-crystalline and nanocrystalline Pb drops dramatically as shock intensity increases.