Kinetic Theory of Nucleation

Nucleation is a stochastic process that occurs as the first step in the formation of a new thermodynamic phase. Understanding nucleation is important for numerous practical applications. The existing classical theory has many shortcomings which restrict its application. This book provides new insight in the theory of nucleation that is critically important for the field. The book is organized to allow the reader to follow the development of the mathematical tools of the suggested approach and explains how these tools are applied to specific problems.

Explore a Kinetic Approach to the Description of Nucleation – An Alternative to the Classical Nucleation Theory

Kinetic Theory of Nucleation presents an alternative to the classical theory of nucleation in gases and liquids—the kinetic nucleation theory of Ruckenstein–Narsimhan–Nowakowski (RNNT). RNNT uses the kinetic theory of fluids to calculate the rate of evaporation of molecules from clusters, and unlike the classical nucleation theory (CNT), does not require macroscopic thermodynamics or the detailed balance principle. The book compares the rates of evaporation of molecules from—and condensation on—the surface of a nucleus of a new phase, and explains how this alternate approach can provide much higher nucleation rates than the CNT. It applies RNNT to various case studies that include the liquid-to-solid and vapor-to-liquid phase transitions, binary nucleation, heterogeneous nucleation, nucleation on soluble particles and protein folding. It also describes the system, introduces the basic equations of the kinetic theory, and defines a new model for the nucleation mechanism of protein folding.

Adaptable to coursework as well as self-study, this insightful book:

• Uses a kinetic approach to calculate the rate of growth and decay of a cluster
• Includes description of vapor-to-liquid and liquid-to-solid nucleation
• Outlines the application of density-functional theory (DFT) methods to nucleation
• Proposes the combination of the new kinetic theory of nucleation with the DFT methods
• Illustrates the new theory with numerical calculations
• Describes the model for the nucleation mechanism of protein folding, and more

A comprehensive guide dedicated to the kinetic theory of nucleation and cluster growth, Kinetic Theory of Nucleation emphasizes the basic concepts of the kinetic nucleation theory, incorporates findings developed from years of research and experience, and is written by highly-regarded experts.