Understanding radiation effects on the mechanical properties of SiC composites is important to their application in advanced reactor designs. By means of molecular dynamics simulations

we found that due to strong interface bonding between the graphene layers and SiC

the sliding friction of SiC fibers is largely determined by the frictional behavior between graphene layers. Upon sliding

carbon displacements between graphene layers can act as seed atoms to induce the formation of single carbon atomic chains (SCACs) by pulling carbon atoms from the neighboring graphene planes. The formation

growth

and breaking of SCACs determine the frictional response to irradiation.