Orientation-dependent properties of nanoparticle impact

The mechanical properties of nanoparticles cannot be reliably described by bulk material characteristics due to their atomic structure, leading to pronounced anisotropic behavior. By means of molecular dynamics simulations, we study the impact of 5-nm Ag particles on an adhesive rigid wall. We show that the main characteristics of the impact such as the coefficient of normal restitution, the sticking probability, the maximal contact force, and the degree of plastic deformation of the particle depend sensitively on the angular orientation of the nanoparticle prior to the impact. We introduce the scalar parameter Omega describing the orientation and show that the impact characteristics can be described as functions of Omega.