Abstract Scope |
Cu is utilized as an impactor material in many plate impact experiments within the shock compression community, primarily because it is believed that there is no solid-solid phase transformation in the material. However, it has been reported that Cu based Hume-Rothery shape memory alloys exhibit body centric phase transformations at high temperatures. Thereby, the possibility of phase transitions of Cu under high temperature and/or high pressure cannot be completely ruled out. With that in perspective, atomistic simulations have been carried out to probe the phase transformation of Cu subjected to high temperature and high pressure in shock compression experiments and observance of BCT phase of Cu has been reported based on Gibbs free energy calculations within the quasiharmonic approximations, supporting previous postulation by Friedel. Interestingly, recent experimental investigations carried by Gupta group at WSU on polycrystalline Cu in 2020 also demonstrated presence of body centered phases (PRB (2020): 102, 020103(R)). |