Size and shape dependent melting temperature and thermal expansivity of metallic and semiconductor nanoparticles

Abstract

Liquid drop model is used to predict the size dependent melting temperature of low dimensional systems. In the present work we have modified liquid drop model for predicting shape and size dependent melting temperature of nanoparticles of Pb and Si. The new modified liquid drop model gives good agreement between calculated and experimental data which demonstrate the validity of the present work. It is found that the particle shape can affect the melting temperature of nanoparticles and this effect on the melting temperature becomes larger with decreasing of particle size. In the present study relationship for size and shape dependent of thermal expansivity is deduced for metallic and semiconductor nanoparticles. The present relationship for thermal expansivity may be used to predict the coefficient of thermal expansion for nanoparticles.