Effect of Strain Rate and Temperature on Al (Metal)-Cu50Zr50 (Metallic Glass) Interface Strength: A Molecular Dynamics Study

Abstract

Extensive use of metal matrix composite (MMC) in automobile, aerospace, civil structure and bio engineering applications has brought concern about the new technology for preparing, material characterization, properties, and production of these composites [1–4]. Metallic glasses (MGs) are fascinating as reinforcement because of its excellent properties such as higher elastic limit (~2%), high strength, good wettability and good corrosion resistance [5]. There are studies reported on the use of MG (Zr-based, Ni-based and copper based) as reinforcement in Al-matrix composites [6–8]. Interface plays a vital role in determining the strength of the composites. There are seldom studies reported on the interface characteristics. In the present study classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are performed to determine the Al-Cu50Zr50 interface strength chracteristics at strain rates of 109 s-1 and 1010 s-1 and at temperatures of 100 K and 300 K by subjecting the interface to mode-I loading.