Molecular Theories of Nucleation, Development, Rigor, Guidance for Phenomenological Theories

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Howard Reiss of UCLA is supported by the Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Program to investigate molecular theories of nucleation using statistical mechanics methods. This research is divided into four projects: maintenance of rigor and consistency in molecular theories of nucleation; development of a theory for the kinetics of nucleation; formulation of the thermodynamics of solid interfaces with application to the dependence of deliquescence pressure on particle size; and development of a theory for heterogeneous nucleation, in connection with systems of atmospheric interest such as the formation of sulfate aerosols.Nucleation is one of the most ubiquitous phenomena in all of science and technology. Despite its importance, the theory of nucleation has until recently been phenomenological. The formulation of a coherent, consistent theory of molecular nucleation has important consequences for many practical applications in atmospheric science, crystallization, metallurgy, and nanophase chemistry.