PLASTIC BEHAVIOR OF NANOPHASE METALS STUDIED BY MOLECULAR-DYNAMICS

We report molecular-dynamics simulations of plastic deformation of Ni nanophase samples with different grain structures, temperature, and ap plied stress. We analyze the mechanical and thermal activation of the elementary process contributing to plastic deformation at the grain bo undaries and provide a quantitative interpretation in terms of a gene; al nonlinear viscous behavior whose temperature, stress, and grain-siz e dependence is determined. [S0163-1829(98)07941-7].