Atomic mechanism on the mechanical and tribological performance of amorphous/graphene nanolaminates

Dissatisfactory tribological behaviors have always been a critical issue in amorphous alloys mainly because of the intrinsically localized deformation upon sliding. Here we show by introducing graphene to generate heterogeneous interfaces into an amorphous alloy, the mechanical and tribological performance can be noticeably enhanced. The interfacial limiting effect of graphene on the amorphous layer greatly improves the load bearing ability of amorphous/graphene nanolaminates (AGNs). Besides, the mechanical and tribological performance of AGNs is largely dependent on the thickness of amorphous layer. Atomistic mechanism shows that the amorphous/graphene interface is not only the wall hindering the expansion of shear bands but also the percolation path of the shear transition zone (STZ) for plastic development. In particular, the high rebound ability of graphene enables a remarkable self-healing effect in AGNs during nanoscratching. Present study not only fills the gap in the theoretical research of mechanics and tribology of AGNs but also provide valuable information for the design of AGNs as one kind of surface protective materials.