Phase diagrams of decomposing nanoalloys

The thermodynamics of nucleation and decomposition in small isolated particles are considered. There exist three possibilities: phase separation, prohibition of decomposition and a metastable state. We investigate the peculiarities of phase diagrams related to depletion of the nanosize parent phase even at the nucleation stage. For small particles the equilibrium diagram becomes split (and shifted and size dependent). Concentration, size and temperature hystereses take place. Size-dependent ‘critical supersaturation’, increasing with decreasing size, has been analysed.