Solids: Thermodynamics and Bonding

· The components of the interatomic potential for a metal are shown in the diagram.
· The ion-core repulsion is a Pauli Exclusion Principle term: (1/ R¹² )
· Because of its time-shared nature, the metallic bond is non-directional.
· The bond is also non-specific, and alloys of different metal atoms can be formed.
· Clusters of several atoms are required for a metallic bond to form.

From: Sproull, "Modern Physics," Wiley (1956)