Shock waves in complex binary solids: Cubic Laves crystals, quasicrystals, and amorphous solids

Abstract

Shock waves have been simulated by molecular dynamics in the cubic Laves phase C15, in related Frank-Kasper-type (AlCu)Li quasicrystals, and in an amorphous solid of the same composition and potential parameters. The goal of this study was to generate shock waves in periodic and aperiodic structures and to compare their behavior. The expectation was that new types of defects would show up in aperiodic materials. Three regimes are observed in the Laves phase: at low shock wave intensity the system reacts elastically, at high intensities it turns disordered. In the intermediate region the velocity of the elastic wave saturates and an additional plastic wave appears. Extended defects are created which form a network of walls of finite width. The crystallites in between are rotated by the shock wave. If the samples are quenched a polycrystalline phase is obtained. The size of the grains decreases with increasing shock wave intensity until complete fragmentation occurs in the third regime. The behavior of the quasicrystal models is similar, except that there is a continuous transition from a quasi-elastic behavior to the plastic regime. Ring processes are observed which break up into open paths when the shock wave energy grows. The transition to a complete destruction of the structure is continuous. In the amorphous solid a linear us − up-relation is found over the whole range of piston velocities. Two regimes are present, with unsteady plastic waves at weak shock strengths and steady waves in the range coinciding with the upper regime in the ordered structures.