Researchers in Canada have correlated the material properties of transition metals with their electron work functions using computational techniques.
The mechanical properties of a material are important, both for improving the fundamental understanding of the material itself, and for selecting and developing materials. Many scientists have studied how bulk properties relate to electron behaviour, using quantum mechanics, but such theories are tricky to apply.
Read the full Chemistry World article here and view the original PCCP article:
Guomin Hua and Dongyang Li
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016, 18, 4753-4759. DOI: 10.1039/C5CP04873G
Relationship between fracture toughness and work function
