Impurity atoms in small metallic particles

Abstract The effect of self-purification has been discovered in small metallic particles containing impurity atoms. Due to small dimension of the particles impurities were shown to get out of the particles and to reach its surface in relatively short times. The phenomenon has been studied for small particles of Li containing Na atoms as impurities and for NiCu alloy particles. The distribution of atoms in lithium particles was studied by the ESR method and the information about the distribution of Ni atoms within CuNi alloy particles was obtained by comparing the structure date with magnetic properties.