. 24/7 Space News .
TECH SPACE
Two-dimensional melting of hard spheres experimentally unravelled after 60 years
by Staff Writers
Oxford, UK (SPX) Apr 24, 2017


This is the interface between the liquid (top) and hexatic (bottom) states. Image courtesy Oxford University.

After extensive research, scientists from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oxford have found experimental evidence that sheds new light on the melting of two-dimensional substances. Findings from the study could be used to support technological improvements to thin film materials such as graphene.

Researchers from the group of Professor Roel Dullens at Oxford's Department of Chemistry have experimentally elucidated how melting of a two-dimensional solid of hard spheres occurs. With this work they resolve one of the most fundamentally important but still outstanding issues in condensed matter science. In addition, these results provide the cornerstone for the further understanding and development of two-dimensional materials.

Melting, the phase transition in which a substance turns from a solid to a liquid, is widely understood in basic terms. But despite being encountered regularly in everyday life, (whether in the workplace, home or natural world), scientists have long been trying to understand the melting process on a fundamental level.

The melting of a solid into a liquid is one of the most commonly experienced scientific phenomena. However, understanding this transformation is especially mysterious for solids in two-dimensions. Here, the celebrated Kosterlitz-Thouless-Halperin-Nelson-Young (KTHNY) theory proposes that an intermediate, partially disordered state, called the 'hexatic', exists between the solid and liquid.

Substantial effort has been made towards the understanding of these 'topological' transitions, for which Kosterlitz and Thouless were awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics. Yet for the simplest interacting system of many particles, two-dimensional hard spheres, there has been an astonishing lack of consensus despite the first simulations being performed over 60 years ago.

Dr Alice Thorneywork and co-workers used optical microscopy to study monolayers of colloidal model hard spheres (see box 2) tilted by a small angle to introduce a gradient in the particle concentration.

For hard spheres, the behaviour is governed only by this concentration, which allowed them to identify and characterize the liquid, hexatic, and solid states and the nature of the transitions between them in a single experiment. The results show that the melting occurs via a continuous solid-hexatic transition followed by a first order hexatic-liquid transition.

TECH SPACE
Apple touts greater use of recycled metal in gadgets
New York (AFP) April 20, 2017
Apple wants to "one day" end the need to mine materials from the earth to make its gadgets, the technology giant said in its annual environmental responsibility report out Thursday. "Traditional supply chains are linear," it said. "Materials are mined, manufactured as products, and often end up in landfills after use. Then the process starts over and more materials are extracted from the ear ... read more

Related Links
University of Oxford
Space Technology News - Applications and Research


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

TECH SPACE
Russian, American two-man crew blasts off to ISS

Orbital ATK launches cargo to space station

Soyuz-FG rocket to be installed at Baikonur on April 17

US giant Discovery plans huge Costa Rica eco-resort

TECH SPACE
Russia and US woo Brazil, hope to use advantageous base for space launches

Creation of carrier rocket for Baiterek Space Complex to cost Russia $500Mln

Dream Chaser to use Europe's next-generation docking system

Europe's largest sounding rocket launched from Esrange

TECH SPACE
Mars spacecraft's first missions face delays, NASA says

France, Japan aim to land probe on Mars moon

NASA's MAVEN reveals Mars has metal in its atmosphere

Opportunity Mars rover on the way to Perseverance Valley

TECH SPACE
Ticking Boxes with Tianzhou

Yuanwang fleet to carry out 19 space tracking tasks in 2017

China Develops Spaceship Capable of Moon Landing

Long March-7 Y2 ready for launch of China's first cargo spacecraft

TECH SPACE
Airbus and Intelsat team up for more capacity

Commercial Space Operators To Canada: "We're Here, and We can Help"

Antenna Innovation Benefits the Government Customer

Ukraine in talks with ESA to become member

TECH SPACE
Tweaking a molecule's structure can send it down a different path to crystallization

Apple touts greater use of recycled metal in gadgets

Lasers measure jet disintegration

Computers create recipe for two new magnetic materials

TECH SPACE
Potentially Habitable Super-Earth is a Prime Target for Atmospheric Study

Evidence for Habitable Region Within Saturn's Moon Enceladus

Science fiction horror wriggles into reality with discovery of giant sulfur-powered shipworm

Earth-Sized 'Tatooine' Planets Could Be Habitable

TECH SPACE
ALMA investigates 'DeeDee,' a distant, dim member of our solar system

Nap Time for New Horizons

Hubble spots auroras on Uranus

Cold' Great Spot discovered on Jupiter









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.