Melting of metal nanowires: molecular dynamics simulation

A comparative molecular dynamics study has been carried out of the melting of infinite metallic nanowires and free spherical metallic nanoparticles of the same diameter. It was found that the nanowire is melted at a higher temperature than its spherical analogue as the shape of the nanowire is non-equilibrium. As a result, the melting of the nanowire leads to the loss of its stability, i.e. to the break of the nanowire.