Prediction of Spontaneous Plastic Deformation of Irradiated Metallic Glasses due to Thermal Spike-Induced Plasticity

摘要: Using large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, we predict that knock-on damage in irradiated metallic glasses yields spontaneous anisotropic deformation, i.e. shape change the absence of externally applied loads. The root cause this behavior is plastic deformation around non-spherical thermal spikes. Such spike-induced plasticity (TSIP) does not depend on electronic excitations and distinct from ‘ion hammer’ effect. Macroscale TSIP predicted to occur under unidirectional heavy ion neutron irradiation. consequences for potential applications irradiation are discussed.