Melting Behaviour of Core-Shell Structured Ag-Rh Bimetallic Clusters

The melting behaviour of four typical core-shell structured 309-atom Ag-Rh bimetallic clusters, with decahedral and icosahedral geometric configurations, is investigated by using molecular dynamics simulation, based on the Sutton-Chen potential. The initial atomic configurations are obtained from semi-grand canonical ensemble Monte Carlo simulations. It is found that the melting point temperature Tm increases with the mole fraction of Rh in the bimetallic clusters, and Tm of Ag-Rh icosahedral clusters is higher than those of Ag-Rh decahedral clusters with the same Rh mole fraction. It is also found that the Ag atoms lie on the surface of Ag-Rh bimetallic clusters even after melting.     

Effect of potential energy distribution on the melting of clusters

We find that the potential energy distribution of atoms in clusters can consistently explain many important phenomena related to the phase changes of clusters, such as the nonmonotonic variation of melting temperature with size, the dependence of melting, boiling, and sublimation temperatures on the interatomic potentials, the existence of a surface-melted phase, and the absence of a premelting peak in heat capacity curves. We also find a new type of premelting mechanism in double icosahedral Pd19 clusters, where one of the two internal atoms escapes to the surface at the premelting temperature.     

Model of local melting of grain boundaries containing impurity atom clusters

A model describing the initial stages of the local melting of grain boundaries containing impurity atom clusters is developed. The local melting process is considered as the formation of liquid zones whose geometry and number depend on the initial concentration and thermodynamic characteristics of the impurity atoms, as well as on the material parameters and temperature. The evolution of the liquid-solid interface structure with increasing temperature is discussed. The dependences of the liquid-solid interface parameters on temperature are obtained at various initial concentrations and thermodynamic characteristics of the impurity atoms.     

Ag309团簇升温过程中结构转变的分子动力学模拟研究

采用分子动力学模拟研究了具有面心立方（fcc）晶格结构的截断八面体Ag309团簇升温过程中结构演变。对团簇的能量曲线变化、快照图演变和键对分析表明：无缺陷截断八面体Ag309团簇在410 K时转变为二十面体,在840 K时熔化;不同缺陷诱导二十面体结构转变温度异常变化,沿晶面滑移缺陷使二十面体转变温度升高,沿晶面旋转缺陷使二十面体结构转变温度降低;不同缺陷对团簇键型和势能产生的影响是使二十面体结构转变温度异常变化的主要诱导因素。这种通过缺陷控制团簇结构转变的研究为新型纳米结构的可控制备提供理论基础。     

Irregular phenomenon induced by Ag atomic segregation during the heating process of Ag-Pd cluster

This paper studies the melting of icosahedral Ag-Pd bimetallic clusters by using molecular dynamics with the embedded atom method.It finds that the mixed Ag-Pd cluster shows an irregular phenomenon before melting,i.e.,the atomic energy decreases with the increase of temperature.It indicates that the segregation of Ag atoms results in this phenomenon by analysing atomic radius distribution.Since the surface energy of Ag is lower than that of Pd,this leads to the result that the decreased energy by the Ag atomic segregation is larger than the increased energy by the heating.This provides a new method to obtain irregular thermodynamic properties.     

Xenon melting curve to 80 GPa and 5p-d hybridization

Measurements made in a laser heated diamond-anvil cell are reported that extend the melting curve of Xe to 80 GPa and 3350 K. The steep lowering of the melting slope (dT/dP) that occurs near 17 GPa and 2750 K results from the hybridization of the 5p-like valence and 5p-like conduction states with the formation of clusters in the liquid having icosahedral short-range order (ISRO).     

Local atomic structures of single-component metallic glasses

In this study we examine the structural properties of single-component metallic glasses of aluminum. We use a molecular dynamics simulation based on semi-empirical many-body potential, derived from the embedded atom method (EAM). The radial distribution function (RDF), common neighbors analysis method (CNA), coordination number analysis (CN) and Voronoi tessellation are used to characterize the metal’s local structure during the heating and cooling (quenching). The simulation results reveal that the melting temperature depends on the heating rate. In addition, atomic visualization shows that the structure of aluminum after fast quenching is in a glassy state, confirmed quantitatively by the splitting of the second peak of the radial distribution function, and by the appearance of icosahedral clusters observed via CNA technique. On the other hand, the Wendt-Abraham parameters are calculated to determine the glass transition temperature (T_g), which depends strongly on the cooling rate; it increases while the cooling rate increases. On the basis of CN analysis and Voronoi tessellation, we demonstrate that the transition from the Al liquid to glassy state is mainly due to the formation of distorted and perfect icosahedral clusters.     

Ternary alloying effect on the melting of metal clusters

Canonical ensemble Monte Carlo simulations are applied to investigate the melting of the icosahedral 55-atom Ag-Cu-Au clusters. The clusters are modeled by the second-moment approximation of the tight-binding (TB-SMA) many-body potentials. Results show that the introduction of the only Cu atom of the third alloying metal in the bimetallic Ag₄₃Au₁₂ cluster, forming the Ag₄₂Cu₁Au₁₂ cluster, can greatly increase the melting point of the cluster by about 100 K. It is also found that the substitution of the only Cu atom of the third alloying metal in the Ag₁Au₅₄ clusters, forming the Ag₁Cu₁Au₅₃ cluster, can result in an increase of 40 K in the melting point. It can be concluded that the melting points of the bimetallic clusters can be tuned by the third metal impurities doping. In addition, the surface segregation of Ag atoms in the Ag-Cu-Au trimetallic clusters occurs even after melting.     

How to distinguish the local structures of the melts

We study the conditions of the mutual distinction of the structures of the 12-atom close-packed clusters (fcc, hcp, icosahedral) in the presence of thermal fluctuations via analysis of the distribution function in the space of structural invariants. It is shown that the close-packed types of local structure remain distinct well above the melting point.     

Magnetic anisotropy in icosahedral cobalt clusters

Magnetic anisotropy has been measured in multiply twinned, icosahedral cobalt clusters. It is found that the low-temperature magnetization of deposited cluster layers is well defined with the Stoner–Wohlfarth model by averaging over clusters with a range of anisotropy energy. Anisotropy energy calculation based on Néel's pair model shows that the icosahedral structure and the layer-by-layer growth of the clusters induce oscillations of the magnetic anisotropy as a function of the filling of the outer surface of the particle. The magnetization measurement at room temperature indicates a weakly correlated cluster glass, as deduced from the approach to saturation that is well described with 2D random anisotropy model.     

Structure,energetic and phase transition of small nickel-palladium heterogeneous clusters

Molecular dynamics simulation (MD) with Sutton-Chen potential for palladium-palladium, nickel-nickel and palladium-nickel interactions has been used to generate the minimum energy structures and to study the thermodynamic and dynamic properties of mixed transition metal cluster motifs of Ni _n Pd_(13?n) for n ≤ 13. Thirteen particle icosahedral clusters of neat palladium and nickel atoms were first reproduced accordingly with the results in literature. Then in the palladium icosahedra, each palladium atom has been successively replaced by nickel atom. Calculation is repeated for both palladium-centered and nickel-centered clusters. It is found that the nickel-centered clusters are more stable than the palladium-centered clusters and cohesive energy increases along the palladium end to nickel end. Phase transition of each cluster from one end-species to the other end-species is studied by means of caloric curve, root mean square bond fluctuation and heat capacity. Trend in variation of melting temperature is opposite to the energy trend. Palladium-centered cluster shows a premelting at low temperature due to the solid-solid structural transition. Species-centric order parameters developed by Hewage and Amar is used to understand the dynamic behavior in the solid-solid transition of palladium-centered cluster to more stable nickel-centered cluster (premelting). This species-centric order parameter calculation further confirmed the stability of nickel-centered species over those of palladium-centered species and solid-solid structural transition at low temperature.     

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Icosahedral Transformations in Solid Cu-Co Clusters

We study the icosahedral transformations of solid Cu Co clusters with different initial configurations by using molecular dynamics with the embedded atom method. It is found that the formation of symmetric icosahedral cluster is strongly related to the atomic number and initial configuration. The transformation originates from the surface into the interior of the cluster and is a structural change which is rapid and diffusionless. The icosahedral clusters with any composition and configuration, such as core-shell or three-shell duster, can be prepared by the means of solid-solid phase transition in bimetallic clusters.     

Melting behavior of large disordered sodium clusters

The melting-like transition in disordered sodium clusters Na₉₂ and Na₁₄₂ is studied by performing density functional constant-energy molecular dynamics simulations. The orbital-free version of the density functional formalism is used. In Na₁₄₂ the atoms are distributed in two distinct shells (surface and inner shells) and this cluster melts in two steps: the first one, at ≈130 K, is characterized by the development of a high intrashell atomic mobility, and the second, homogeneous melting at ≈270 K, involves diffusive motion of all the atoms across the whole cluster volume. On the contrary, the melting of Na₉₂ proceeds smoothly over a very broad temperature interval, without any abrupt change in the thermal or structural indicators. The occurrence of two steps in the melting transition is suggested to be related to the existence of a grouping of the atoms in radial shells, even if those shells present a large degree of internal disorder. It then appears that a cluster can be considered fully amorphous (totally disordered) only when there are no radial regions of low atomic density separating shells. The isomer of Na₉₂ studied here fulfills this criterion and its thermal behavior can be considered as representative of that expected for fully amorphous clusters. Disordered Na₁₄₂, on the other hand, that has a discernible structure of an inner and a surface shell, should be considered as not fully disordered. The thermal behavior of these two clusters is also compared to that of icosahedral (totally ordered) sodium clusters of the same sizes. Received 5 February 2001 and Received in final form 21 May 2001     

Ni掺杂对Cu团簇结构稳定性的影响

采用密度泛函理论对Cu_n和Cu_n-1Ni(n=3-14)团簇的结构及稳定性进行研究.结果证明Cu_n(n=3-14)团簇的基态不是密实结构而是类似双平面的构型;计算表明:Ni掺杂增加了铜团簇的稳定性,Cu_nNi(n=2-13)团簇的最稳态结构与单质铜团簇不同而是以形成二十面体为基础的密实结构,Ni原子趋于和尽量多的Cu原子成键而最终陷入笼状团簇的中心;偶数个粒子的团簇具有相对高的稳定性,尤其Cu₃Ni,Cu₇Ni和Cu₉Ni;陷入笼状团簇内部的Ni原子带正电,使得位于表面的Cu原子带负电,从而增加了由这种团簇构成的材料的化学稳定性,如耐腐蚀性等.     

The Stability of Icosahedral Cluster and the Range of Interaction Potential

The relation between the stability of icosahedral clusters and the range of interaction potential is discussed.We found that the stability of icosahedral clusters nay decrease with decreasing range of interaction potential. A simple formula about the critical number of icosahedral clusters and the range of interaction potential (M1/3c = A1 A2r2eff)was proposed. The calculation of the stability of icosahedral fullerence molecular clusters shows that our idea is right.``     

Obstacles for one-dimensional migration of interstitial clusters in iron

Interstitial clusters are known to cause frequent one-dimensional (1D) jumps (stepwise positional changes) under electron irradiation around room temperature. The distance of 1D jumps in iron was examined in detail through in-situ observation using high-voltage electron microscopy. The 1D jump distance was found to be longer for smaller clusters in specimens of higher purity, although the distance did not depend on the irradiation beam intensity and electron energy. The distribution of the 1D jump distance was well described by the distribution of the free path of interstitial clusters migrating through randomly distributed impurity atoms. The 1D jump process is considered as fast 1D diffusion of interstitial clusters at low activation energy from the point where the cluster detrapped from an impurity atom to the point where the cluster was trapped again by another impurity. Electron irradiation provides a trigger for causing 1D migration by detrapping of clusters from impurity atoms.     

Fe、Co、Ni混合团簇磁性的密度泛函研究

基于13原子二十面体结构,采用密度泛函方法系统计算研究了Fe、Co及Ni单质及二元混合团簇的磁性.发现有限温度下团簇磁性随结构畸变的敏感性随Fe、Co、Ni顺序逐渐减弱,同时发现二十面体结构Fe_(13)及Co_(13)均具有不同磁矩的近简并低能态.对FeNi及CoNi混合团簇、其磁矩随组分的变化不存在反常现象,但对于FeCo混合团簇、其磁矩随组分的演化行为存在个别反常现象.我们认为:这种反常现象能够对FeCo非晶合金中的实验观测结果提供一种可能的理论解释.     

Surface tensions and stress tensors of liquid and solid clusters by molecular dynamics

Surface tension and pressure (stress) tensors of Lennard-Jones clusters, in the size range 200 ~ 2700 atoms/cluster, formed from evaporating liquid droplets were calculated in a Molecular Dynamics simulation. Icosahedral clusters have a much larger surface tension than decahedral, fcc, and hcp ones, meanwhile asymmetric icosahedral clusters have a lower surface tension. Fcc and hcp clusters have a very small surface tension. Decahedral clusters have a surface tension closer to that of fcc and hcp ones than to that of icosahedral ones, though both icosahedral and decahedral structures have five fold symmetry axis. Binary component clusters have a higher surface tension than single component ones.     

The Stability of Icosahedral Cluster and the Range of Interaction Potential

The relation between the stability of icosahedral clusters and the range of interaction potential is discussed. We found that the stability of icosahedral clusters may decrease with decreasing range of interaction potential. A simple formula about the critical number of icosahedral clusters and the range of interaction potential (M_c^1/3=A₁+A₂r_eff²) was proposed. The calculation of the stability of icosahedral fullerence molecular clusters shows that our idea is right.     

稳态Cu-Zr二十面体团簇电子结构的密度泛函研究

采用第一原理对以Cu为心的低能稳态Cu_nZ_(r13-n)(n=6,7,8,9)二十面体团簇的电子结构进行计算,结果表明:同一化学组分下,以Cu为心的Cu-Zr二十面体团簇中出现的同类原子聚集现象可以增强团簇的稳定性,降低费米能级(EF)上的电子数N(EF),这为低能稳态团簇拥有较小的N(EF)提供了深层次的理论解释.进一步的差分电子密度与Mulliken布居分析得知,Cu-Zr二十面体中共价键与离子键共存,成键态与反键态共存,且团簇在形成时壳层Zr与中心Cu原子是电子的提供者,壳层Cu是电子的获得者.该电荷转移方向是金属玻璃中以Cu为心的Cu-Zr二十面体团簇普遍遵循的规律,不随团簇的化学序参数及化学组分的变化而变化.计算的红外振动谱为实验上准确表征不同二十面体原子团提供了一种新的思路.