Nonclassical nucleation theory for the gas–liquid transition

Abstract

We use density functional methods to develop a new nonclassical theory for the homogeneous nucleation of the gas to liquid phase transition. The extent of agreement between our results and the classical prediction of Becker, Döring, and Zeldovich is strongly dependent on the range of the attractive potential which we employ. We show that our predictions are consistent with experimental data using cloud chambers, and we suggest several directions in which experimentalists might look in order to find nonclassical effects. In particular, we suggest that cavitation (gas bubble formation in a liquid subjected to tensile stress) should nucleate at a significantly greater rate than that predicted by classical theory.