SIZE-DEPENDENT EFFECTS IN PROPERTIES OF NANOSTRUCTURED MATERIALS

Size-dependent effects in nanostructured (nanocrystalline, nanophase or nanocomposite) materials are of great importance both for fundamental considerations and modern technology. The effect of the nanoparticle/nanocrystallite size on surface energy, melting point, phase transformations, and phase equilibriums is considered as applied to nanostructured materials. The role of size-dependent effects in phonon, electronic, superconducting, magnetic, and partly mechanical properties is also analyzed in detail. Special attention is paid to the contribution of other factors such as the grain boundary segregations, interface structure, residual stresses and pores, non-uniform distribution of grain sizes, and so on. The little explored and unresolved problems are pointed and discussed.