FORMATION OF SUPERCLUSTERS FROM METALLIC CLUSTERS

Schmid et al. [3] reported on the possibility to build up experimental ly microcrystalline modifications of metals with icosahedral clusters M(13) as the basic units of the structure. We theoretically investigat e two possibilities to construct such superclusters: a) a formation of shell-like superclusters, and b) a generation of superclusters from s uperclusters. The numerically obtained results agree very well with ma ny experimental data of the new metallic modification. They explain th e growth of superclusters by a simple analytical model. Size effects o f some mechanical properties of such superclusters can be predicted by analytical relations.