Influence of Stacking Fault on the Mechanical Behavior of Copper: A Molecular Dynamics Study

A key parameter that affects dislocation motion, deformation mechanisms, and the overall mechanical response of face-centered cubic (FCC) metals is stacking fault energy (SFE). The study aims to investigate the effect of stacking faults (SF) on the mechanical properties of copper (Cu) using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In this work, the Embedded Atom Method (EAM) interatomic Cu-Cu (Mishin et. al.) potential is employed to model the interactions in Cu, while a combination of tensile testing and the introduction of stacking faults allows for the simultaneous analysis of mechanical behavior and SFE. The results reveal a direct correlation between various parameters like stacking fault, temperature, and system size which subsequently influences the material's ductility, stress-strain response, and failure mechanisms. This study provides insights into the temperature and size dependent mechanical behavior of Cu, with potential implications for understanding deformation in other FCC metals.