Connection between Phantom and Spatial Correlation in the Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-model: A brief review

TL;DR

This review traces the evolution of the Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami model from its inception in the 1930s, emphasizing the role of phantom nuclei and spatial correlation in phase transformation kinetics.

Contribution

It highlights theoretical developments that move beyond the concept of phantom nuclei by incorporating spatial correlation among nuclei.

Findings

Spatial correlation is fundamental in modeling phase transformation kinetics.

Theoretical approaches have evolved to better account for nuclei interactions.

The concept of phantom nuclei has been revisited and extended in recent models.

Abstract

The goal of this minireview is restricted to describe how the Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami model has evolved from its birth up to the present day. The model, which dates back to the late of 1930s, has the purpose of describing the kinetics of a phase transformation. Given the nature of this article, although there are hundreds (if not thousands) of experimental data concerning the most disparate topics, which are interpreted on the basis of the KJMA model, no arguments relating to these, will be touched upon. Starting from the ingenious concept of phantom nuclei, firstly introduced by Avrami to get the exact kinetics, we review theoretical approaches which overcome such concept. We will show how spatial correlation among nuclei plays a fundamental role in these modelings.