Wear-resistant CoCrNi multi-principal element alloy at cryogenic temperature.

Traditional high strength engineering alloys suffer from serious surface brittleness and inferior wear performance when servicing under sliding contact at cryogenic temperature. Here, we report that the recently emerging CoCrNi multi-principal element alloy defies this trend and presents dramatically enhanced wear resistance when temperature decreases from 273 to 153 K, surpassing those of cryogenic austenitic steels. The temperature-dependent structure characteristics and deformation mechanisms influencing the cryogenic wear resistance of CoCrNi are clarified through microscopic observation and atomistic simulation. It is found that sliding-induced subsurface structures show distinct scenarios at different deformation temperatures. At cryogenic condition, significant grain refinement and a deep plastic zone give rise to an extended microstructural gradient below the surface, which can accommodate massive sliding deformation, in direct contrast to the strain localization and delamination at 273 K. Meanwhile, the temperature-dependent cryogenic deformation mechanisms (stacking fault networks and phase transformation) also provide additional strengthening and toughening of the subsurface material. These features make the CoCrNi alloy particularly wear resistant at cryogenic conditions and an excellent candidate for safety-critical applications.

A Molecular Dynamics Study on the Defect Formation and Mechanical Behavior of Molybdenum Disulfide under Irradiation.

Due to its appealing characteristics, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) presents a promising avenue for the exploration of lubrication protection materials in high-energy irradiation scenarios. Herein, we present a comprehensive investigation into the defect behavior of multilayer MoS2 under argon (Ar) atom irradiation leveraging molecular dynamics simulations. We have demonstrated the energy shifts and structural evolution in MoS2 upon irradiation, including the emergence of Frenkel defects and intricate defect clusters. The structural damage exhibits an initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease as the incident kinetic energy increases, ultimately peaking at 2.5 keV. Moreover, we investigated the effect of postannealing on defect recovery and conducted the uniaxial tensile and interlayer shearing simulation in order to provide valuable insights for the defect evolution and its impact on mechanical and tribological properties. Furthermore, we have proposed the optimal annealing temperature. The current study reveals the atomic mechanisms underlying irradiation-induced damage on the structural integrity and mechanical performance of MoS2, thereby providing crucial guidance for its vital application in nuclear reactors and aerospace industries.