Crack formation in a Ni bicrystal wire of radius 16nm with a negative junction disclination lying along the axis was studied by computer simulation. It was revealed that at a disclination strength exceeding some critical value, a crack was formed in the region of the disclination core; the crack represented an asymmetrical 2-sided wedge elongated along the grain boundary. The equilibrium length of the crack increased with increasing disclination strength. Disclinations with a strength that was less than critical could exist in nanocrystals obtained by compacting nanopowders and controlled their properties to a significant extent.

Computer Simulation of Crack Formation in a Nickel Bicrystal Nanowire Containing a Wedge Disclination. A.A.Nazarov, M.S.Wu, H.Zhou: Physics of Metals and Metallography, 2007, 104[3], 274-80