Nucleation of a new phase on a surface that is changing irreversibly with time

Abstract

Nucleation of a new phase almost always starts at a surface. This surface is almost always assumed not to change with time. However, surfaces can roughen, partially dissolve and change chemically with time. Each of these irreversible changes will change the nucleation rate at the surface, resulting in a time-dependent nucleation rate. Here we use a simple model to show that partial surface dissolution can qualitatively change the nucleation process, in a way that is testable in experiment. The changing surface means that the nucleation rate is increasing with time. There is an initial period during which no nucleation occurs, followed by relatively rapid nucleation.