Analysis of Dislocation Mechanism for Melting of Elements: Pressure Dependence

Abstract

In the framework of melting as a dislocation-mediated phase transition we derive an equation for the pressure dependence of the melting temperatures of the elements valid up to pressures of order their ambient bulk moduli. Melting curves are calculated for Al, Mg, Ni, Pb, the iron group (Fe, Ru, Os), the chromium group (Cr, Mo, W), the copper group (Cu, Ag, Au), noble gases (Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn), and six actinides (Am, Cm, Np, Pa, Th, U). These calculated melting curves are in good agreement with existing data. We also discuss the apparent equivalence of our melting relation and the Lindemann criterion, and the lack of the rigorous proof of their equivalence. We show that the would-be mathematical equivalence of both formulas must manifest itself in a new relation between the Grüneisen constant, bulk and shear moduli, and the pressure derivative of the shear modulus.