Nucleation and Bulk Crystallization in Binary Phase Field Theory

TL;DR

This paper develops a phase field theory for binary crystal nucleation that aligns well with simulations and experiments, providing insights into nucleation processes and solidification phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a quantitative phase field model for binary nucleation that matches experimental and simulation data, advancing understanding of crystallization.

Findings

Quantitative agreement with Lennard-Jones simulations and ice-water experiments.

Predicted critical undercoolings match measurements for Cu-Ni alloys.

Consistent Kolmogorov exponents for dendritic solidification and particle impingement.

Abstract

We present a phase field theory for binary crystal nucleation. In the one-component limit, quantitative agreement is achieved with computer simulations (Lennard-Jones system) and experiments (ice-water system) using model parameters evaluated from the free energy and thickness of the interface. The critical undercoolings predicted for Cu-Ni alloys accord with the measurements, and indicate homogeneous nucleation. The Kolmogorov exponents deduced for dendritic solidification and for "soft-impingement" of particles via diffusion fields are consistent with experiment.