Specifics of thermodynamic description of nanocrystals

TL;DR

This paper develops a statistical method to describe the thermodynamics of nanocrystals, highlighting how size-dependent vibrational quantization affects properties and phase transformation temperatures.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach linking phonon gas pressure to size-dependent thermodynamic behavior in nanocrystals.

Findings

Size-dependent vibrational quantization causes excess phonon gas pressure.

Thermodynamic properties of nanocrystals depend on size via phonon pressure.

Size influences phase transformation temperature shifts.

Abstract

A method of statistical description of thermodynamic properties of nanocrystals is developed. It is established that size-dependent quantization of vibrational modes results in formation of excess pressure of the phonon gas acting outwards the crystal. Based on the concept of the phonon gas pressure, size dependence of thermodynamic properties of nanocrystals was described, and size influence on a shift of a phase transformation temperature was explained.