The melting of small particles. I. Lead

Abstract

The melting points of individual lead crystallites have been investigated in detail in the electron microscope, by using a technique which allows accurate measurement of the specimen temperature. The experiments have shown that the melting points of the lead crystallites were not determined solely by their size, as the simple melting point theories predict, but also depended on a second variable effect. These results are consistent with a liquid skin model of the melting of crystallites containing imperfections.