Thermodynamic model of crystallization and melting of small particles

Abstract

The size dependence of the nanocrystal melting temperature has been investigated based on a nonequilibrium thermodynamics approach. An expression has been derived for the melting temperature that, contrary to the classical Tomson formula, takes into account the metastable character of the crystal nucleus-melt shell equilibrium. Quantitative estimations have been carried out for small spherical particles of aluminum, tin, and lead. © Central European Science Journals. All rights reserved.