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Role of Metastable States in Phase Ordering Dynamics

R. M. L. Evans·W. C. K. Poon·M. E. Cates
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Abstract

We show that the rate of separation of two phases of different densities (e.g. gas and solid) can be radically altered by the presence of a metastable intermediate phase (e.g. liquid). Within a Cahn-Hilliard theory we study the growth in one dimension of a solid droplet from a supersaturated gas. A moving interface between solid and gas phases (say) can, for sufficient (transient) supersaturation, unbind into two interfaces separated by a slab of metastable liquid phase. We investigate the criteria for unbinding, and show that it may strongly impede the growth of the solid phase.

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R. M. L. Evans, W. C. K. Poon, M. E. Cates. 1997-01-20. Role of Metastable States in Phase Ordering Dynamics. https://doi.org/10.1209/epl%2Fi1997-00289-y

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