Synergy of Spall Strength and Toughness in Nanograined Metals

Under shock loading, the spall strength of nanocrystals exhibits intricate grain-size effects due to the presence of abundant grain boundary and dislocation activities. However, the influence of size on spall toughness and void evolution has been largely overlooked. This study employs molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the damage accumulation characteristics of nanocrystalline aluminum across various grain sizes. Unlike the trade-off observed in quasi-static loading conditions, our study reveals a consistency in which grain size governs both nanovoid nucleation and coalescence, yielding a novel spall strength–toughness synergy. These insights highlight grain sizes that are particularly susceptible to spall fracture, offering a crucial understanding of nanocrystal failure mechanisms in extreme environments.