Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2012 May;85(5):050602. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.85.050602. Epub 2012 May 29.

Nucleation and growth of droplets in vapor-liquid transitions.

Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics

Sutapa Roy, Subir K Das

PMID: 23004695 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.85.050602

Abstract

Results for the kinetics of vapor-liquid transitions, following temperature quenches with different densities, are presented from molecular dynamics simulations of a Lennard-Jones system. For a critical density, bicontinuous liquid and vapor domains are observed which grow with time, obeying the predictions for the hydrodynamic mechanism. On the other hand, for quenches with density significantly below the critical one, phase separation progresses via nucleation and growth of liquid droplets. In the latter case, the Brownian diffusion and collision mechanism for the droplet growth is confirmed. We also discuss the possibility of interdroplet interaction leading to a different amplitude in the growth law. Arguments for faster growth, observed at early times, are also provided.

Publication Types

• Journal Article
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't