TITLE:
Grand potential formalism of interfacial thermodynamics for critical nucleus
AUTHORS:
Atsushi Mori, Yoshihisa Suzuki
KEYWORDS:
Gibbs Interfacial Thermodynamics; Grad Potential; Interfacial Tension; Work of Nucleus Formation
JOURNAL NAME:
Natural Science,
Vol.5 No.5,
May
29,
2013
ABSTRACT:
In nucleation theories,
the work of formation of a nucleus is often denoted by W = ΔG. This convention
misleads that the nucleation should be considered in the isothermal-isobaric
system. However, the pressure in the system with a nucleus is no longer
uniform due to Laplace’s equation. Instead, the chemical potential is uniform
throughout the system for the critical nucleus. Therefore, one can consider
the nucleation in the grand ensemble
properly. Accordingly, W is
found to be the grand potential difference and the interfacial tension is also
turned to be an interfacial excess grand potential. This treatment is not
entirely new; however, to explicitly treat in the grand potential formalism is
for the first time. We have successfully given an overwhelmingly clear
description.