Abstract: Morphology of microcrack propagation and crack branching of single crystal ductile materials under tensile are simulated with phase-field-crystal method. It shows that shape of notch has a strong effect on crack propagation. With uniaxial tension crack propagation appears if only strain reaches a critical value. With biaxial tension a crack branches if only strain reaches a critical value. Temperature parameter takes significant effects on crack propagation. The smaller the temperature parameter is (the temperature is higher), the faster the cracks propagate and the more the crack branches are. It is observed that free energy of system decreases with time and decreases faster after crack starts to branch. During crack propagation, disconnectedly isolated cavities around the main cracks can be found and these defects become new cracks. They grow up along a line and become a branching crack. Simulated results are in agreement with other simulations and experimental results.

Key words: phase-field-crystal method, microcrack propagation, strain, ductile materials