What are Some Examples of Phase Transitions in Nanomaterials?
1. Melting Point Depression: Nanoparticles often exhibit a reduced melting point compared to their bulk counterparts. For example, gold nanoparticles can melt at significantly lower temperatures than bulk gold due to their high surface energy. 2. Phase Change Materials (PCMs): Materials such as vanadium dioxide (VO2) can undergo phase transitions from insulator to metal at specific temperatures, making them useful in smart windows and thermochromic devices. 3. Supercooling and Superheating: Nanomaterials can remain in a metastable state at temperatures where phase transitions would normally occur, leading to phenomena such as supercooling and superheating.
