ATOMISTIC SIMULATIONS APPLIED TO THE STUDY OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING BY COLD SPRAY
Cold Spray is a technique for creating coatings and additive manufacturing by propelling and adhering particles onto a substrate. The mechanisms resulting in this adhesion are not fully understood, and due to experimental challenges related to time and velocities, its investigation primarily relies on simulations. In this work, we employed Molecular Dynamics to gain an atomistic insight into the particle adhesion process. Diverging from the three-dimensional systems found in the literature, we developed and validated a quasi-2D system. This system allowed us to simulate particles of approximately 0.2 micrometers, close to the experimental scale. The variation in particle sizes revealed the need for larger models than those previously existing in the literature. Furthermore, we investigated the role of material amorphization at the onset of jetting. The study of shock waves in the 0.2 μm system revealed that the shock wave is not responsible for jetting formation but plays a role in the deformation process, ultimately leading to jetting formation. Temperature was found to be a crucial factor in the jetting process, leading to material instability and amorphization, both essential for jetting to occur. This temperature results from deformations, dislocation interactions, and shear bands. These factors together elucidated various aspects of the adhesion and jetting formation process, becoming sources of discussion in the literature. Additionally, based on this quasi-2D model, further investigations are being prepared for a deeper understanding of the process.