Queen Mary University of London
A longstanding problem in physics has finally been cracked by Professor Kostya Trachenko of Queen Mary University of London's School of Physical and Chemical Sciences.
His research, published in the Physical Review E, unveils a general theory for predicting melting points, a fundamental property whose understanding has baffled scientists for over a century.
For decades, our understanding of the three basic states of matter – solids, liquids, and gases – relied on temperature-pressure phase diagrams. These diagrams depict the conditions under which each state exists, with distinct lines separating them. However, one crucial line, the melting line – marking the transition between solid and liquid – lacked a universal description.
Professor Trachenko's theory bridges this gap. By developing a new framework that incorporates recent advancements in liquid theory, he demonstrates that melting lines can be described by a simple parabolic equation. This not only offers a practical tool for predicting melting points but also reveals a surprising universality across different material types. This universality comes from observing that parameters in the parabolic equation are governed by fundamental physical constants such as the Planck constant and electron mass and charge.
"The simplicity and universality of this result are particularly exciting," explains Professor Trachenko. "It suggests that melting, despite its complexities, exhibits a fundamental unity across diverse systems, from noble gases to metals."
This discovery holds significant implications beyond theoretical physics. Accurate prediction of melting points is crucial in materials science, with applications ranging from drug development to designing advanced materials and other areas where predicting phase diagrams is important. Professor Trachenko's work paves the way for a deeper understanding of phase transitions and the creation of new materials with tailored properties.
Reference
Theory of melting lines
K. Trachenko
https://journals.aps.org/pre/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevE.109.034122
Rhombohedral hexalayer graphene, in which six carbon sheets are stacked with a slight lateral offset like staircase steps, hosts both superconductivity and electrically controllable orbital magnetism, researchers report in Nature Physics. The arrangement yields a rich collection of quantum states in a simple carbon-based material, positioning rhombohedral multilayer graphene as a platform for probing the fundamental mechanisms of superconductivity and magnetism and potentially for new ways of…
Time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of Xenopus cryptochrome-DASH reveals that chiral rotation of an oxidized tryptophan residue can drive chirality-induced spin selectivity, estimated at 8% in one charge-separated state, and shape electron-spin polarization in radical pairs.
Cornell researchers have redrawn the phase diagram of uranium ditelluride, showing the material can host two distinct flavors of superconductivity at once and that the two coexist and interact under pressure. The work settles years of uncertainty and positions uranium ditelluride as the leading candidate for a topological superconductor, a long-sought material that could unlock advances in quantum computing.
This week in nanotech
$13.6M raised
3 funding rounds · 20 deals tracked
New products
Ti-WCMBN Nanomaterialia Featured
Nion-compatible In Situ STEM Holders for Electrical BiasingHummingbird Scientific Featured
PKVH / PKVL ZAxis With an opening modelTHK PRECISION CO.,LTD.Market insights
Last 30 days: Quantum Technologies was the busiest vertical: 61 of 192 events (32%).
Money raised per month
Behind the deal
Who led Sandia National Laboratories’s $3.4M Grant?
See the investors with Insights Pro →
