Abstract
We discuss the effect of nonlinearity on the scattering dynamics of solitary waves. The pure nth power model with the interaction potential V(x) = xn/n is present, which is a paradigm model in the study of solitary waves. The dependence of the scattering property on nonlinearity is closely related to the topological structures of the solitary waves. Moreover, for one of the four collision types, the rates of energy loss increase with the strength of nonlinearity and would reach 1 at n⩾10, which means that the two solitary waves would become of fragments completely after the collision.