Size-dependent undercooling of pure Sn by single particle DSC measurements

The size-dependent solidification undercooling was investigated for single micro-sized particles of pure Sn employing differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The particles were obtained from a solvent-encapsulation remelting and quenching (SERQ) process. Because of the basically unchanged spherical shape of the measured single particles during a series of continuous heating and cooling processes, it allows studying the independent effect of particle size on undercooling. Applying classical nucleation theory in conjunction with available thermodynamic data yields an increasing undercooling with decreasing particle size. The theoretical description is in good agreement with the experimental data.