Nucleation of Particles from the Gas Phase

Formation of small solid and liquid particles is vital for a variety of natural and technological phenomena, from the evolution of the universe, through atmospheric air pollution and global climate change. Despite its importance, nucleation is still not well understood, and this unique book addresses that need. It develops the theory of nucleation from first principles in a comprehensive and clear way, and uniquely brings together classical theory with contemporary atomistic approaches. Important real-world situations are considered, and insight is given into cases typically not considered such as particle formation in flames and plasmas. Written by an author with more than 35 years of experience in the field, this will be an invaluable reference for senior undergraduates and graduate students in a number of disciplines, as well as for researchers in fields ranging from climate science and astrophysics to design of systems for semiconductor processing and materials synthesis.

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction; 2. Single-component homogeneous nucleation from a supersaturated vapor; 3. Classical nucleation theory: the liquid droplet model; 4. Classical theory of multicomponent nucleation; 5. Classical theory of ion-induced nucleation; 6. Atomistic approaches to homogeneous nucleation; 7. Transient nucleation; 8. Chemical nucleation; 9. Nucleation in plasmas; References; Index.

About the Author :
Steven L. Girshick is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. He served as editor-in-chief of 'Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing,' and was founding president of the International Plasma Chemistry Society. His awards include the Boit Prize in Writing at MIT, the 2005 Plasma Chemistry Award, and the University of Minnesota Best Director of Graduate Studies Award.

Review :
'This book on particle nucleation from the gas phase is remarkably valuable as both an introduction to the field as well as a succinct summary of the current literature. The treatment strikes an appropriate balance between rigor and readability. Highly recommended.' David Graves, Princeton University 'Nucleation dynamics, critical to a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines, find a unified treatment in this text. Bridging diverse fields, it lays the groundwork for understanding gas-phase nucleation - a key phenomenon influencing climate change, technological processes, and beyond. This book provides a comprehensive foundation across disciplines, serving as the definitive guide for students and researchers alike. Offering insights into both classical theories and modern approaches, it promises to be an indispensable resource, fostering connections and advancing knowledge in a critical yet underexplored field.' A. M. Boies, University of Cambridge 'Nucleation of Particles from the Gas Phase" is an essential text for scientists and engineers looking to understand both the fundamental theories describing homogeneous nucleation, as well as state-of-the-art atomistic models and more complex multicomponent routes to nucleation. The entire text is written at a level appropriate to introduce senior-level undergraduate students and graduate students in engineering, physics, and chemistry to classical nucleation theory. This book is also an excellent reference text, as each chapter briefly reviews prior chapters, and introduces material in a self-contained manner.' Chris Hogan, University of Minnesota 'Girshick provides an exceptionally clear introduction to the theory of nucleation from the gas phase, accompanied by a frank assessment of the successes and shortcomings of classical approaches and an introduction to atomistic approaches with potential to dramatically improve predictions of nucleation rates. The book also provides a much-needed unified treatment of a broad range of nucleation phenomena, including soot formation and particle nucleation in plasmas, which has not previously been available. It should be of great value to scientists and engineers in fields from atmospheric science to nanomaterial synthesis, with a treatment that is both rigorous and accessible to those from a broad range of technical backgrounds.' Mark Swihart, University at Buffalo 'A concise and highly readable treatise on gas-phase nucleation, useful for graduate students and those interested in developing a deeper understanding.' Michael Zachariah, University of California, Riverside 'How exactly gas-phase atoms and molecules nucleate to form larger particles is an unsolved problem. In this remarkably accessible book, readers from advanced undergraduate students to advanced senior researchers will gain from the elegant treatment of the subject to understand the current state of the science. This is a must read for all those interested in understanding the intricacies of nucleation.' George Shields, Furman University 'Nucleation from the gas phase has received considerable attention in recent years. The book on this subject by Steven Girshick provides a nice overview. Steven is a well-known expert and has particularly contributed to the interesting issue of self-consistent classical theory. The book covers a clear introduction to Classical Nucleation Theory pointing out some extensions and deficiencies. Interesting relations to atomistic approaches are discussed in some detail. Comparisons to a few experimental studies are presented typically indicating semiquantitative agreement. This book will prove useful for several current research areas, such as atmospheric science and global climate change, particularly when combined with recent literature on heterogeneous nucleation from the gas phase.' Paul Wagner, University of Vienna 'This is the book I have been looking for! From the basics of nucleation theories to the applied aspects of chemical nucleation and nucleation in plasmas, it is easy to read and provides end-of-chapter problems. This is the ideal book for students and engineers.' Pere Roca i Cabarrocas, CNRS, Institut Polytechnique de Paris