Two-stage heat dissipation in plastic deformation of metals under ultra-high strain rate deformation

• The plastic heating behavior of single crystals can be distinctly divided into a relaxation stage and a steady-state stage. • Dislocation movement functions as an almost perfect converter of plastic work into heat during the steady-state stage. • TQC may demonstrate limited sensitivity to variations in strain rate and temperature over a wide range. Understanding plastic heating at high strain rates is essential for designing material behavior. We employ molecular dynamics to analyze plastic heating and introduce a refined Taylor-Quinney coefficient (TQC) calculating approach. Our results reveal a two-stage heating behavior in high-strength systems, a relaxation stage characterized by rapid heating, stress relaxation, and increasing TQC , followed by a steady-state stage marked by linear temperature increase, constant stress, and stable TQC . The dislocation movement may behave as a plastic heating converter. During the relaxation stage, defect/dislocation nucleation dominates, leading to an increase in TQC as defect density rises upon yielding. Despite an increasing portion of plastic work being stored in defects, the data suggest that dislocations primarily act as sources of heat. In the steady-state stage, an unusual scenario emerges where defect density decreases as plastic deformation proceeds, yet TQC continues to increase due to the release of stored energy. This phenomenon is potentially explained by the annihilation of dislocation dipoles moving towards each other on the same slip plane. Additionally, TQC remains relatively insensitive to variations in temperature and strain rate over a broad range, challenging prior assumptions and expanding the understanding of plastic heating mechanisms.