On the continuous mechanics first- and second-order formulations for non-equilibrium nucleation: Derivation and applications

Abstract Nucleation and growth are phenomena that can be applied to several fields of science and technology. On the other hand, nucleation depends on the cooling rate, dislocating the equilibrium, as surface energy depends on the created and deformed surface area. The crystalline/glassy transition limit dependence on the thermal gradient is also analyzed. In this paper, under the continuum mechanics, first- and second-order non-equilibrium nucleation formulation models are derived, and a phase-change moving interface is considering the thermal field. Nucleation important variables will be plotted against the cooling rate for several nucleation angles. It will be coupled with a theoretical model for the molar-specific heat capacity of solids to analyze its dependence on nucleation kinetics.