A SEMIPHENOMENOLOGICAL DROPLET MODEL OF HOMOGENEOUS NUCLEATION FROM THE VAPOR-PHASE

A semiphenomenological droplet model, which corrects for the macroscopic surface tension and monomer-monomer interactions from real gas behavior (second virial coefficient) and for the correlation between the mean surface area of a cluster and the number of molecules constituting the cluster over all ranges of temperature below the critical point, is proposed by modifying Fisher's droplet theory of condensation. A steady-state nucleation rate equation is derived and compared with expansion and diffusion cloud chamber data for a variety of substances. An overall good agreement is achieved for the range of temperatures investigated in contrast to comparison with the classical nucleation rate equation.