Size-dependent melting temperature of nanoparticles based on cohesive energy

Size-dependent melting temperature of metallic nanoparticles is studied theoretically based on cohesive energy. Three factors are introduced in the present model. The k factor, i.e. efficiency of space filling of crystal lattice is defined as the ratio between the volume of the atoms in a crystal cell and that of the crystal cell. The β factor is defined as the ratio between the cohesive energy of surface atom and interior atom of a crystal. The qs factor represents the packing fraction on a surface crystalline plane. Considering the β, qs and k factors, the relationship between melting temperature and nanoparticle size is discussed. The obtained model is compared with the reported experimental data and the other models.

Uniaxial tension-induced fracture in gold nanowires with the dependence on size and atomic vacancies

The size effect dominates the rupture of gold nanowires, which is also related to atomic vacancies in a single-layer crystalline plane.

Influence of Atomic Defect on the Deformation Properties of Nanowires Subjected to Uniaxial Tension

Atomic defects play an important role in the brittle deformation of nanowires at low temperatures. With molecular dynamics simulations, we study the influence of vacancy defects on the deformation and breaking behaviors of [10 oriented single-crystal gold nanowires at 50 and 150 K. The size of the nanowire is 10a × 10a × 30a (a stands for lattice constant, 0.408 nm for gold). It is shown that good crystalline structure appears in the whole deformation process, and it is in a brittle way at low temperature. The nanowire breaking behavior is sensitive to atomic vacancies when the atomic vacancy ratio is 1% in single-layer crystalline plane. Within the limitation of vacancy-induced breaking of the nanowire, the mechanical strengths increase under atomic vacancies. However, it decreases with the defect ratio increasing.

Study on the Microstructure of the Pinctada martensii Pearls and Its Significance

The results of a microscopy, SEM-EDS, XRD, FTIR, and Raman spectra study of the nacres of the Pinctada martensii pearls from Zhanjiang city, China shows that they can be classified as the high-quality, medium-quality, and inferior-quality pearls. Aragonite, the main inorganic mineralogy in the nacres, was crystallized and grown up in the compartments formed by the silk and radial organic sheets originating from organic matters secreted by the mantle of mollusks. The crystalline orientations of aragonite tablets were changed from the (002), (012) and (102) crystalline plane nets in the early to the (002) crystalline plane net only in the later. The formation processes of the microstructure of the nacres could be divided into three stages. In the early stage, the precursor particles of aragonite nucleated and grew up fast; then, porous aragonite aggregates consisting of the fine aragonite crystals were formed. In the middle stage, the aragonite crystals directionally grew up to form the aragonite tablets and microlayers. The surface of the aragonite tablets and microlayers are rough and few porous, and the edges of the crystals were serrated. In the last stage, the aragonite tablets in the aragonite microlayer mixed perfectly together to form high-quality aragonite layer whose surface was smooth and perfect.