Analytical studies of Gibbs-Thomson effect on the diffusion controlled spherical phase growth in a subcooled medium
Journal
Heat and Mass Transfer/Waerme- und Stoffuebertragung
Journal Volume
39
Journal Issue
8-9
Pages
665-674
Date Issued
2003
Author(s)
Chen Y.-Z.
Abstract
By using a small-time series expansion technique, the thermal effect of surface tension (Gibbs-Thomson effect) on the early-stage phase growth of a spherical nucleus immersed in an infinite subcooled liquid is studied in this paper. The result shows that surface tension greatly reduces the incipient growth rate of the solid nucleus. Critical value of surface tension is found beyond which the decreasing of the phase growth rate with time becomes non-monotonic. Analytical expression for the phase growth rate in terms of relevant physical parameters is also derived under the condition of small degree of undercooling.
Type
journal article