Evolution of crystallinity of free gold agglomerates and shape transformation
Karuna Kar Nanda,Arkadi Maisels,Frank Einar Kruis
RSC Advances Pub Date : 08/24/2011 00:00:00 , DOI:10.1039/C1RA00208B
Abstract

We report the shape evolution of free gold agglomerates with different morphologies that transform to ellipsoidal and then to spherical shapes during the heating cycle. The shape transformation is associated with a structural transition from polycrystalline to single crystalline. The structural transition temperature is shown to be dependent on the final size of the particles and not on the initial morphologies of the agglomerates. It is also shown that the transition occurs well below the melting temperature which is in contrast with the melt-freeze process reported in the literature.

Graphical abstract: Evolution of crystallinity of free gold agglomerates and shape transformation