title: Nanoparticle size-dependent lowering of temperature for phase transition from In(OH)3 to In2O3.
abstract: Phase transformation of In(OH)3 to In2O3 has been studied as a function of nanoparticle size without any alteration of nanoparticle size during transformation. Chemically capped In(OH)3 nanoparticles having sizes of 15, 11, and 8 nm transform to In2O3 at temperatures of 285, 272, and 255 degrees C, respectively. This first-time unambiguous observation of size-dependent lowering of transformation temperature represents a thermodynamic characteristic of the nanoparticle system. The results have been explained in terms of a lower cohesive energy of surface atoms and an increase in surface-to-volume ratio with a decrease in nanoparticle size.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016, India.
authors.forename: V N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Mehta
mesh_terms: D006878:Hydroxides / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D007204:Indium / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D044367:Phase Transition; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D006878:Hydroxides; D007204:Indium; C047711:indium oxide