Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are potential materials for future optoelectronic devices. Grain boundaries (GBs) can significantly influence the optoelectronic properties of TMDC materials. Here, we have investigated the mechanical characteristics of tungsten diselenide (WSe 2 ) monolayers and failure process with symmetric tilt GBs using ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulations. In particular, the effects of topological defects, loading rates, and temperatures are investigated. We considered nine different grain boundary structures of monolayer WSe 2 , of which six are armchair (AC) tilt structures, and the remaining three are zigzag (ZZ) tilt structures. Our results indicate that both tensile strength and fracture strain of WSe 2 with symmetric tilt GBs decrease as the temperature increases. We revealed an interfacial phase transition for high-angle GBs reduces the elastic strain energy within the interface at finite temperatures. Furthermore, brittle cracking is the dominant failure mode in the WSe 2 monolayer with tilted GBs. WSe 2 GB structures showed more strain rate sensitivity at high temperatures than at low temperatures.
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Can we predict mixed grain boundaries from their tilt and twist components?
One of the major challenges towards understanding and further utilizing the properties and functional behaviors of grain boundaries (GB) is the complexity of general GBs with mixed tilt and twist character. Here, we report the correlations between mixed GBs and their tilt and twist components in terms of structure, energy and stress field by computationally examining 7440 silicon GBs. Such correlations indicate that low angle mixed GBs are formed through the reconstruction mechanisms between their superposed tilt and twist components, which are revealed as the energetically favorable dissociation, motion and reaction of dislocations and stacking faults. In addition, various complex disconnection network structures are discovered near the conventional twin and structural unit GBs, implying the role of disconnection superposition in forming high angle mixed GBs. By unveiling the energetic correlation, an extended Read-Shockley model that predicts the general trends of GB energy is proposed and confirmed in various GB structures across different lattices. Finally, this work is validated in comparison with experimental observations and first-principles calculations.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1817321
- PAR ID:
- 10539695
- Publisher / Repository:
- Elsevier
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Acta Materialia
- Volume:
- 279
- Issue:
- C
- ISSN:
- 1359-6454
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 120293
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- Grain boundary Dislocation Disconnection Atomistic simulation Silicon
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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