Smältgränsen

Smältgränsen, or melting limit, is a term used in materials science and engineering to describe the temperature at which a solid material begins to transform into a liquid state. This transition is a fundamental physical property of a substance, known as its melting point. The melting point is typically a specific temperature under a given pressure, though it can be affected by external factors. For crystalline solids, melting involves the breakdown of the ordered atomic lattice structure into a disordered liquid state. Amorphous solids, like glass, do not have a sharp melting point but rather a softening range where their viscosity gradually decreases with increasing temperature. Understanding the smältgränsen is crucial for various applications, including metal casting, welding, and the processing of polymers. It dictates the temperatures required for manufacturing processes and influences the material's behavior under thermal stress. The precise smältgränsen for a given material can be determined through experimental methods like differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).