Surface and size effects on the specific heat capacity of nanoparticles

Extending the elastic continuum model for fine particles, a theoretical model was proposed to include the different contributions of interior and surface atoms for the specific heat capacity. The effect of size and temperature and the softening of surface atom vibrations were studied, and a dimensionless variable was proposed to characterize the effect of particle size and temperature on the specific heat capacity of nanoparticles. The proposed model was used to fit experimental data for copper oxide nanoparticles.