Plasticity mechanisms in nanovoided b.c.c. metals under high strain rate compression*

Atomistic-scale simulations provide unique insights to plasticity mechanisms arising under extreme conditions where its relative nanoscopic length and time scales render experiments almost impossible. Our studies explore the mechanical response and plasticity effects under uniaxial high strain rate compression for a Ta single crystal with a collection of spherical nanovoids, with a radius of 3-4 nm, providing an initial porosity of 5{\%}-20{\%}. We examine strain rate effects, from 10$^{7}$/s to 10$^{10}$/s, in the dislocation density and dislocation-induced heating. The resulting dislocation densities are in good agreement with experimental results for shock-recovered samples.