Effect of Friction Depth, Velocity, and Cu Content on the Friction Behavior of AgCu Alloys by Molecular Dynamics Simulation

The silver-copper (AgCu) alloy is widely used in numerous industries such as electronics and electrical engineering due to its excellent electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and workability. However, the friction problems during its service can seriously affect the operational stability and service life of equipment. Therefore, it is of great significance to deeply explore the friction and wear behavior of the AgCu alloy. In this study, the molecular dynamics simulation method was employed to conduct an in-depth investigation of the friction and wear behavior of AgCu alloy with different friction depths, velocities, and Cu contents. The study found that there was a close positive correlation between the friction depth and the average friction force. As the depth increases, the contact area enlarges, and the atomic packing, phase transformation, and dislocations increase, resulting in a roughly linear increase in the average friction force.At friction speeds of 0.5 Å/ps, 1 Å/ps, and 1.5 Å/ps, the average friction force increases with the increase of speed, accompanied by expanded strain localization and reduced twinning with intensified work hardening under dynamic loading.The content of the Cu element has a significant impact on the friction behavior of the alloy. When the content increases, the softening of the alloy leads to a significant linear decrease in the average friction force. At the same time, the plasticity is enhanced, the strain region expands, and the disordered atomic structures increase. The results of this study provide an important theoretical basis for a deep understanding of the friction and wear mechanism of the AgCu alloy and the optimization of its performance.