Heat release in clusterization of nanoparticles

TL;DR

This paper explores how size-dependent melting temperatures of nanocrystals influence their thermodynamic anomalies and proposes a concept for a nanoscale heat pump based on heat release during clusterization.

Contribution

It introduces the idea that nanocrystal size effects can be used to control thermodynamic behavior and suggests a novel heat pump mechanism utilizing heat release during nanoparticle clustering.

Findings

Nanocrystal size affects melting temperature and thermodynamic properties.

Mechanical contact between nanocrystals near melting point releases heat.

Potential for constructing nanoscale heat pumps based on these effects.

Abstract

We show that the effect of size dependence of the melting temperature of nanocrystals may be used to govern anomalies of thermodynamic properties of nanocrystals in the premelting range. For example, if temperature of nanocrystals is near the melting point, their mechanical contact should result in a change of the temperature and release of some heat. We discuss fundamental possibility of construction of a "heat pump" to extract thermal energy from a low-temperature medium.