Molecular dynamics simulation of the melting behaviour of 12-, 13-, 14-atom icosahedral platinum clusters

Abstract

Using the molecular dynamics simulation technique, we have studied the melting behaviour of free, icosahedral PtN clusters in the size range of N = 12–14. The Voter and Chen version of an embedded-atom model, derived by fitting to experimental data of both the diatomic molecule and bulk platinum simultaneously, has been employed in this study. We present an atom-resolved analysis method that includes physical quantities such as the root mean square bond-length fluctuation and coordination number for individual atoms as functions of temperature. The results show that while the 13-atom icosahedron and the 12-atom cluster with a vacancy on the icosahedral surface exhibit one-stage melting, the 14-atom cluster with an adatom on the icosahedral surface undergoes two-stage melting, as the temperature increases.