Difference in icosahedral short-range order in early and late transition metal liquids

The short-range order, a liquid structure factor, for an early (Ti) and late (Ni) were investigated for undercooled and equilibrium liquids. The difference in short-range order data were analyzed using in-situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction measurements of electrostatically leviatated droplets. Molecular dynamics simulation was use to analyze the increasing degree of icosahedral short-range order (ISRO) over cubic ordering in the undercooled liquid, for atoms interacting by a Lennard-Jones potential. The short-range order of liquid Ni was found to be icosahedral and for liquid Ti was distorted icosahedral.