Surface diffusion and coalescence of mobile metal nanoparticles.
The diffusion and coalescence of metal nanoparticles play important roles in many phenomena. Here, we offer a new integrated overview of the main factors that control the nanoparticle coalescence process. Three factors are considered in our description of the coalescence process: nanoparticle diffusion across the surface, their physical and thermodynamic properties, and the mechanism of coalescence. We demonstrate that the liquid-like properties of the surface layers of the nanoparticles play an essential role in this process. We present experimental evidence for our opinion, based on the high-resolution electron microscopic analysis of several different types of nanoparticles.
José-Yacaman
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M
Center for Nano and Molecular Technology, Texas Materials Institute, Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
Gutierrez-Wing
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C
Miki
M
M
Yang
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DQ
Piyakis
K N
KN
Sacher
E
E