A two-parameter extension of classical nucleation theory

What is it about?

This work builds on the authors' general framework for a fundamental description of nucleation based on nonequilibrium statistical mecchanics (Mesoscopic Nucleation Theory or MNT). The general theory is used to construct an extension of Classical Nucleation Theory (CNT) wherein nucleation is described using two order parameters (rather than one, as in CNT). Even for the simple case of liquid-vapor nucleation, the new approach exposes a rich phenomenology not captured by CNT.

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Why is it important?

Classical Nucleation Theory (CNT) is a corner stone of physical chemistry and yet it has never previously been derived from fundamental physics. Our approach, Mesoscopic Nucleation Theory, does this and the present paper shows how - with such a foundation in hand - one can easily extend CNT to more realistic descriptions of nucleation. Furthermore, by adding a second order parameter to CNT, it is found that the extended theory gives a much more realistic description of nucleation and captures important effects - particularly as pertains to the nucleation pathway - that is missed by CNT.