Universal asymptotics of the thermodynamic characteristics of the nucleation on small macroscopic nuclei of soluble surfactants

Abstract

Asymptotic behavior of thermodynamic characteristics of nucleation on small macroscopic nuclei of soluble surfactants at their complete dissolution in a nucleating droplet is studied. It is taken into account that, in the region of small sizes of nuclei and corresponding small sizes of critical nuclei of liquid phase, the chemical potential of condensate and the work of droplet formation are affected by the presence of dense surfactant adsorption monolayer on the droplet surface. It is shown that, as the limiting surface area per surfactant molecule in adsorption monolayer increases, the behavior of thermodynamic characteristics of nucleation in the region of small nucleus sizes is characterized by the transition from asymptotics at the adsorption of almost all substance comprising nucleus in a monolayer to the asymptotics at constant adsorption. The study performed is not limited by the selection of specific adsorption isotherms; therefore, the obtained asymptotic dependences of thermodynamic characteristics on the nucleus size can be considered as universal for the heterogeneous nucleation on the nuclei of soluble surfactants.