Surface Segregation in Multicomponent Clusters

Authors

Peter A. Dowben, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Ning Wu, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Natalie Palina, Physikalisches Institut der Universität Bonn, Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, GermanyFollow
H. Modrow, Physikalisches Institut der Universität Bonn, Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
R. Müller, Institut für Physikalische Hochtechnologie, Albert-Einstein-Straße 9, D-07745 Jena, Germany
J. Hormes, Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices, Louisiana State University, 6980 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA
Yaroslav B. Losovyj, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2006

Comments

Published in Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. Vol. 887. Copyright © 2006 Materials Research Society. Used by permission.

Abstract

Nanostructured materials are not immune from surface segregation, as can be shown for solid samples made from nanosized BaFe_12-2xCo_xTi_xO₁₉ barium ferrite particles and a variety of free clusters. Both theory and experiment provide ample demonstration that very limited dimensions of very small clusters does not necessarily impart stability against surface and grain boundary segregation. In fact, with the larger surface to volume ratio in small clusters and lower average atomic coordination, we anticipate that compositional instabilities in small clusters will readily occur.