Dependence of deformation and damage behaviors on nano scratch defects of monocrystalline 3C-SiC in fixed abrasive processes

P Zhou and X Li and CF Cheung and CJ Wang and YW Zhu, SURFACES AND INTERFACES, 59, 105931 (2025).

DOI: 10.1016/j.surfin.2025.105931

Removal behaviors of the 3C-SiC substrate are inevitably affected due to the existence of nano scratch defects in fixed abrasive processes (FAP), which is ignored in the previous study. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is employed to investigate the removal mechanism of 3C-SiC substrates with nano scratch defects in FAP. The effects of nano scratch defects with different widths and depths on the deformation and damage behaviors of SiC substrates are elucidated. The results show that nano scratch defects disappear quicker with smaller scratch defected width during the nano-abrading process. The phase transition of SiC crystal from zinc-blende structure to disorder structure is suppressed due to the existence of nano scratch defects. Nano scratch defects contribute to the plastic deformation of SiC substrates. Large void defects exist below the new surface which is evolved from the nano scratch defects. No new subsurface damage layer formed until the nano-abrading depth is larger than the nano scratch-defected depth. Furthermore, Abrasive wear is performed in nano-abrasion, and less affected by the nano scratch- defected width and depth of SiC substrates.

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