Theoretical description of nucleation in multicomponent system

TL;DR

This paper provides a comprehensive theoretical analysis of multicomponent nucleation kinetics, exploring free energy landscapes, valleys, ridges, and how their interactions influence nucleation pathways and rates.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of altering nucleation valleys and demonstrates the potential for a unified valley to significantly change nucleation barriers and rates.

Findings

Identification of free energy valleys and ridges in multicomponent systems

Demonstration of changing nucleation pathways by modifying valleys

Prediction of altered nucleation rates due to valley merging

Abstract

The full theoretical analysis of the kinetics of multicomponent nucleation is presented. The relief of the free energy with surface excesses was analyzed, the valleys and ridges were described, their mutual interaction was studied. The new possibility to change the valley of nucleation is shown. The possibility to have one common valley instead of several neighbor ones which leads to the radical change in the height of the effective activation barrier and to the new value for the nucleation rate.