Work

Discerning order from chaos: characterising the surface structure of liquid gallium

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: , 431-439] sparking renewed interest in the possible geometric structuring at the surface of pure liquid gallium. Distinct from the known increase in surface density, this lateral surface order has long been hinted at experimentally and theoretically but has remained enigmatic. Here, we quantitatively characterise the depth and nature of this surface ordering for the first time, using highly accurate and large scale molecular dynamics simulations coupled with machine learning analysis techniques. We also quantify the enhanced structural order introduced by the addition of a gallium oxide film as well as the disruption due to a dopant (bismuth).

Source: Materials Horizons

DOI: 10.1039/d4mh01415d

Authors: Krista G. Steenbergen, Stephanie Lambie, Nicola Gaston

Institutions: University of Auckland, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research

Language: English

Topic: Thermodynamic and Structural Properties of Metals and Alloys

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: Royal Society Te Apārangi, Marsden Fund

Award: G4042570930