A unified model for the cohesive enthalpy, critical temperature, surface tension and volume thermal expansion coefficient of liquid metals of bcc, fcc and hcp crystals

First the cohesive enthalpy of pure liquid metals is modeled, based on experimental critical temperatures of alkah metals. The cohesive enthalpies are scaled to the melting points of pure metals. The temperature coefficient of cohesive enthalpy is the heat capacity of the liquid metal. The surface tension and its temperature coefficient for pure liquid metals are modeled through the excess surface enthalpy, excess surface entropy and molar surface area supposing that the outer two surface layers of liquid metals are similar to the {111} plane of fcc crystals. The volumetric thermal expansion coefficient of liquid metals is scaled to the ratio of the heat capacity and cohesion enthalpy. From known values of melting point, heat capacity and molar volume the following calculated properties of liquid metals are tabulated: (i) cohesive enthalpy at melting point, (ii) cohesive energy of the solid metal at 0 K, (iii) critical temperature, (iv) surface tension at melting point, (v) volume thermal expansion coefficient, and (vi) temperature coefficient of surface tension. The present models are valid only for liquid metals of bcc, fcc or hcp crystals as only their structure and nature of bonding are similar enough to be treated together. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.