Nanothermodynamics
Article published in nanotechweb on 7 December 2012
Researchers in Belgium and France have determined a new value for the surface energy of solid selenium and have found it to be considerably higher than previously thought. Selenium is a key element in nanotechnology and the new result will be important for a variety of applications in which the element is used. These include solar cells, photovoltaic panels, computer memories and antibacterial coatings, as well as light-emitting diodes that rely on cadmium selenide quantum dots. In most of these applications, the material's surface plays a key role.