Nano Focus: Nanothermodynamics modeling characterizes electrum at the nanoscale
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E
lectrum is one of the oldest alloys known to humankind. Homer mentions the silver-gold alloy in the Illiad, and coins made of electrum were minted by the Lydians in seventh century BC. Despite the long history with the alloy, its structure at the nanoscale is still not well characterized. A study recently published in ACS Nano (DOI: 10.1021/ acsnano.5b05755) utilizes theoretical modeling to show the way electrum reacts under various conditions, yielding surprising results not only for this alloy but also for similar bimetallic alloys. A phase diagram is one of the first steps in trying to understand the characteristics of the material, says Grégory Guisbiers, a materials scientist at The
Nanothermodynamics modeling studies of Electrum (Ag-Au alloy) points to two rules for segregation for bimetallic materials. Credit: ACS Nano.
University of Texas at San Antonio. And while bulk phase diagrams have been developed for electrum, nothing similar has been achieved on the nanoscale due to technical limitations that do not allow for
precise calorimetry. Instead, Guisbiers and his team turned to modeling using nanothermodynamics, the thermodynamics of small systems. Building off previous attempts published by others,
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