Three-dimensional nucleation with diffusion controlled growth: Part I. Number density of active sites and nucleation rates per site

Abstract

The current transient for three-dimensional nucleation on a finite number of active sites, followed by diffusion controlled growth, has been analysed. Both the number density of active sites and the true nucleation rate per site can be obtained from the current maximum of single-step potentiostatic experiments. Instantaneous and progressive nucleation are shown to be special cases of the more general situation described.