Structure Models of Metal Melts: A Review

Nowadays, metallic materials are subject to increasingly high performance requirements, particularly in the context of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, etc. Researchers typically target properties such as enhanced strength, hardness, and reduced weight, as well as superior physical and chemical characteristics, including electrochemical activity and catalytic efficiency. The structure of metal melts is essential for the design and synthesis of advanced metallic materials. Studies using high-temperature liquid X-ray diffraction (HTXRD) have established a broad consensus that short and medium range ordering exists within metallic melts. However, the high-temperature and liquid conditions during experiments obscure the fundamental physical characteristics, leading to ongoing discussions. Developing simplified models is a typical approach to deal with the complex systems, facilitating a clearer and more direct understanding of the underlying physical images. Here, different physical models of metal melts will be reviewed, starting with transient models, then following with thermodynamic statistical model. The physical image and applications of the models will be carefully discussed.