Local coordination, electronic correlations and relation between thermodynamic and transport properties of sp liquid metals

Abstract

A brief discussion on local coordination in expanded alkalis will be followed by a short review of recent progress in determining electronic correlation functions by combining experiment using diffraction techniques with computer simulation. Then both critical point properties and melting temperatures of liquid sp metals will be discussed. In the latter case, the main topic will be on a metal model which will be used to correlate the ratio of surface tension to shear viscosity with a characteristic velocity. Conventional choice is to take this velocity as the thermal value ( k B T/ M) 1/2. This choice has some merit. However an alternative is to use the velocity of sound, and a different formula then emerges which depends on the valency Z. Reference to some experimental support for such a formula is given. Finally, connection with diffusion, and with bulk viscosity, is discussed with some involvement of a collective mode model, such as prompted by early neutron inelastic scattering results on Rb near its melting point.