Crystal nucleation kinetics in confined systems

Abstract

In confined systems formation of crystalline nuclei is influenced by depletion of a liquid phase due to the phase transition process. As the phase transition occurs, a portion of molecules is “transferred” from a liquid to the newly forming crystalline phase (depletion of a liquid). This work deals with homogeneous crystal nucleation from supercooled melt and supersaturated solution in confined systems. Kinetic equations describing crystal nucleation (including depletion of the mother phase) are solved numerically to determine the size distribution of nuclei, nucleation rate, and the total number of nuclei. These basic characteristics of nucleation process are compared with the solution of the standard model, when the condition within the liquid does not change in time. Depletion of the liquid in confined volume influences the formation of crystal nuclei at a lower energy barrier of nucleation. In contrast to the standard model the number of nuclei and the nucleation rate as a function of time reach some maxima and then decrease.