Morgan - 1-2-2020 at 10:59
"The material, a compound of silicon, copper, nickel and iron, “melts” (actually turning from a solid to a slush-like mix of solid and liquid
material) as it cools below 900 degrees Celsius, whereas silicon ordinarily melts at 1414 degrees C."
"In this case, where the metals were dissolved into the solid silicon, “if you begin cooling it down, you hit a point where you induce
precipitation, and it has no choice but to precipitate out in a liquid phase,” Buonassisi says. It is at that point that the material melts."
"But he adds that there are a number of questions still to be answered in follow-up research:"
http://news.mit.edu/2010/melting-silicon-0802