Theoretical temperature-dependence surface tension of pure liquid gold

A calculation, based on statistical thermodynamics, of the surface tension of pure liquid gold, in the temperature range 1337-1653 K, is described. The calculated surface tension of liquid gold was found to be 1100 mJ/m(2) that agrees well with the reported experimental value (1149 mJ/m(2)). Results reveal that below 1480 K, the surface excess entropy changes by one order of magnitude (0.0151 mJ/m(2)K) as compared to the value above this temperature (0.1773 mJ/m(2)K), and thus predicting a structural changes at the surface of pure molten gold at high temperature. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.