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Surfaces on the move: dynamic liquefaction - EurekAlert
The boundary between solid metal and liquid metal can be much less ‘solid’ than we ever suspected. RMIT researchers have discovered that the liquid-solid boundary can fluctuate back and forth, with metal atoms near the surface breaking free from their crystal lattice. Observing a metal-alloy mass solidifying in a sea of liquid metal, the team observed a phenomenon never seen before: the surface metal moves from a solid state into a liquid state, and back again at unexpectedly low temperatures, far below the melting temperature of the solid metal (eg, 200°C below liquidus). The exciting new fundamental discovery has potential application ultimately where-ever metal alloys are utilised.
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