Prelims Bits
Context:
A study has revealed that gold can remain in solid form at temperatures nearly 14 times its normal melting point, redefining known thermodynamic limits.
Breakthrough Highlights:
- Superheating Phenomenon: Occurs when a substance remains solid beyond its melting point without undergoing a phase change
- Experiment Setup:
- Gold nanofilms (50 nm thick) were rapidly heated using ultrashort laser pulses (45 femtoseconds)
- No time was allowed for structural relaxation or melting
- Validated through high-resolution inelastic X-ray scattering
- Duration: Gold remained solid for a few trillionths of a second, a significant span at the nanoscale
Significance:
- Material Science: May lead to the development of heat-resistant materials for aerospace and fusion systems
- Planetary Science: Offers insights into matter behaviour in stellar and planetary cores
- Thermodynamic Theory: Challenges the concept of “entropy catastrophe”—the point beyond which solids must melt
- Nanotech Advancement: Enables precise material control in ultrafast and nanoscale processes