Melting and superheating of crystalline solids: From bulk to nanocrystals

Melting of solids is a common phenomenon in nature. It is also one of the most important phase transformations in materials science and engineering. In recent years, extensive experimental and theoretical investigations in conjunction with computer simulations on melting of solids, with various geometries ranging from bulk forms to nanometer-sized clusters, have greatly enhanced our understanding of the nature of melting. This paper reviewed the up-to-date research results on this classical and cutting-edge topic. Emphasis was made on melting and superheating of nano-sized particles and thin films including thermodynamic and kinetic analyses of the size effect and the interfacial structure effect on melting processes.