Surface-driven phase coexistence

Abstract

Nanocrystals Phase transitions at the nanoscale are interesting because the usually neglected surface effects can play an outsized role. Chen et al. investigated the temperature-dependent crystal phase transition in copper selenide nanocrystals. They found evidence of two-phase coexistence, which is not allowed for the bulk material. This is likely explained by the surface effects of their wedge-shaped nanocrystal. This demonstration shows how nanomaterials may be tailored in distinct ways compared to their bulk counterparts, offering interesting new routes to optimize their physical properties. Adv. Mater. 31 , 1804919 (2019).