(1) Theoretical Physics Department, Tver State University, Sadovii per. 35, 17002 Tver, Russia
Abstract:
The problem of size dependence of surface tension was investigated in view of a more general problem of the applicability
of Gibbs’ thermodynamics to nanosized objects. For the first time, the effective surface tension (coinciding with the specific
excess free energy for an equimolecular dividing surface) was calculated within a wide temperature range, from the melting
temperature to the critical point, using the thermodynamic perturbation theory. Calculations were carried out for Lennard-Jones
and metallic nanosized droplets. It was found that the effective surface tension decreases both, with temperature and particle
size.