Thermodynamic method of estimation of microheterogeneity in liquid metals

Within the framework of cluster model of liquid phase structure a thermodynamic technique is developed to estimate the structural microheterogeneity in the melts with a different type of chemical bond in a crystalline state. With the help of reference data the calculations of structural constituent fractions, thermal effects and the temperature of complete disordering are made for 75 melts of metals, semimetals and covalent crystals. The degree of structural disordering of liquids considered is found to constitute 14-45 % at corresponding melting temperatures. The temperatures of complete disordering fall in the range of (1.4-2.1) Tmelt and may be considered along with melting points as physical constants of universal transition of liquid phase into a quasigaseous state with statistically disordered structure. 17 refs.; 2 tabs