Molecular dynamics simulation of the plastic behavior anisotropy of shock-compressed monocrystal nickel

Molecular dynamics simulations were used to study the plastic behavior of monocrystalline nickel under shock compression along the 100] and 110] orientations. The shock Hugoniot relation, local stress curve, and process of microstructure development were determined. Results showed the apparent anisotropic behavior of monocrystalline nickel under shock compression. The separation of elastic and plastic waves was also obvious. Plastic deformation was more severely altered along the 110] direction than the 100] direction. The main microstructure phase transformed from face-centered cubic to body-centered cubic and generated a large-scale and low-density stacking fault along the family of { 111 } crystal planes under shock compression along the 100] direction. By contrast, the main mechanism of plastic deformation in the 110] direction was the nucleation of the hexagonal, close-packed phase, which generated a high density of stacking faults along the 110] and1?10] directions.