Nucleation and Growth in Applied Materials

Book excerpt: Nucleation and Growth in Applied Materials covers fundamental aspects of thermodynamics and kinetics, nucleation and growth phenomena occurring during materials processing and synthesis in engineering of materials. Theoretical and practical approaches used to identify and quantify nucleation are analyzed. These approaches can be used to explain the relationship of the physical properties of the material with nucleation and growth processes. Sections cover modern methods such as SEM, TEM, EBSD microtexture, X-ray macrotexture and modeling and simulation (Monte Carlo, Molecular dynamic simulation, machine learning, etc.). Based on these observations, their applications in engineering materials and processes are discussed. Moreover, methodology (experimental and modeling) of nucleation and growth of metals and other materials from aqueous and nonaqueous solvents using electrochemical means are reviewed. Although nucleation and growth are well-studied processes in materials, the quantification of the number of nuclei during these processes are complicated. A key aim of the book is to systematize information and share knowledge about the nucleation and growth phenomena occurring in different engineering processes related to materials science and engineering. - Provides the key principles and definitions to understanding nucleation and growth processes in materials and the relationship between these processes and bulk material properties - Describes criteria for nucleation in different materials and methods for quantification, materials characterization and modeling - Discusses materials design strategies to apply understanding of materials chemical composition and structure to the improvement of material properties and creation of new materials