Prediction of temperature-dependent nucleation and growth rates from crystallization-related heat release.

Abstract

We propose a method for determining the time and, therefore, temperature-dependent relative nucleation and growth rates during crystallization. We do so by linking the partial differential equation governing the time dynamics of the crystal size distribution to kinetic (Avrami) parameters describing heat release. This approach is tested in silico by nucleating and growing diffusion limited aggregates with time-varying morphology and growth rates unhindered by impingement. The associated heat release is analyzed, showing that nucleation and growth rates could be extracted with high fidelity.