On the influence of the electric field on nucleation kinetics

Abstract

Homogeneous nucleation as well as nucleation on foreign completely wettable particles are considered, both of these proceeding in an externally applied uniform electric field. Expressions are derived for the nucleation rate and the time-lag on the basis of thermodynamic considerations concerning the work required for the formation of a spherically shaped cluster. By means of a suitably denned effective supersaturation it is shown that when the dielectric permeability of the new phase is smaller than that of the old phase the electric field stimulates the nucleation while in the reverse case it inhibits the process. The analysis reveals that there exists a critical field strength which is connected with the initial supersaturation and which, once reached, causes a strong increase of the nucleation rate. Finally, it is indicated that all results obtained may be directly applied to the case of nucleation taking place in an external uniform magnetic field.