Nanomaterials are playing an increasingly important role in modern technologies. Interfaces are crucial in nanotechnology. In this study, we have examined the stability of nanoparticles. Major emphasis is on understanding the effect of interfaces on melting. Melting behaviour of nanocrystalline interfaces, created by embedding lead and bismuth nanoparticles in quasicrystalline matrices, was studied. Sharply faceted and coherent interfaces can be related to sharper melting transitions, while irregularly shaped and incoherent interfaces can be directly correlated with lowering of melting temperatures. It is shown here that solid lead forms a high energy interface with phason strain-free quasicrystal (resulting in a lowering of the melting temperature) while bismuth forms a low energy interface with the quasicrystal (resulting in superheating, unusual for bismuth).
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