The study of the coalescence-growth of PtCu nanoalloys

A classical molecular dynamics code developed in Baletto's group will be applied to the study the growth of PtCu nanoalloys at different temperatures and conditions. A Common Neighbour Analysis will be used to investigate the structures and their chemical order on-the-fly during the growth process in order to identifying any phase changes and structural and chemical tendencies. The outcome will be compared with the corresponding results obtained by the models of growth, aiming to study the dominant mechanisms of the coalescence process (the surface diffusion and/or Ostwald ripening). The structural properties of the Pt-Cu system in the relevant bulk material will be also studied.