  We develop a new Voronoi protocol, which is a space tessellation method, to
generate fully dense (containing no voids) nanocrystalline models of copper
(Cu) with precise grain size control; we also perform uniaxial tensile tests
using molecular dynamical (MD) simulations to measure the elastic moduli of the
grain boundary and the grain interior components at 300 K. We find that the
grain boundary deforms more locally compared with the grain core region under
thermal vibrations and is elastically less stiff than the core component at
finite temperature. The elastic modulus of the grain boundary is lower than 30%
of that of the grain interior. Our results will aid in the development of more
accurate continuum models of nanocrystalline metals.
