Electron-dislocation interactions in electroplastic effects of pure aluminum: Thermal fluctuation-assisted electron wind mechanism

The electroplastic effect refers to the intrinsic mechanism by which high-density electric currents significantly enhance the plasticity and mechanical properties of metals. The electron wind force (EWF) mechanism is one of the fundamental principles underlying this effect; however, the interplay of multiple concurrent phenomena has hindered precise elucidation of electron-dislocation interactions. In this paper, we employ molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate electron-driven dislocation behavior in pure aluminum at the atomic level, explicitly incorporating thermal fluctuations—an inherent atomic property—into the analysis. The evolution of dislocation configuration introduced by deformation was further explored based on this model. The results show that EWF induces the directional movement of atoms, and the kink nucleation decreases the critical EWF required for edge dislocation slip from 46.3fN to 0.046fN due to thermal fluctuation. For the metal with high density dislocations, electric current reduces the density of mobile dislocations while leaving immobile dislocation unchanged. This work can help clarify certain controversies surrounding the electron wind mechanism.