Evolution of the E structural unit during uniaxial and constrained tensile deformation

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the mechanisms by which Shockley partial dislocations are nucleated from < 1 1 0 > copper grain boundaries which contain the E structural unit. Simulations in this work indicate that the natural conformation of the interface porosity with respect to the primary dislocation slip systems is responsible for the easy emission of Shockley partial dislocations during a tensile deformation. Furthermore, it is found that tensile stresses parallel to the interface plane can diminish the severity of the E structural unit on the dislocation nucleation process. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.