Homogeneous Nanodroplets Condensation in Water
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In this work we investigate homogeneous nucleation of water droplets using a mesoscale diffuse-interface framework that couples a van der Waals square-gradient free-energy functional with the IAPWS-95 equation of state. The critical droplet is a saddle point of the free-energy landscape and is computed using the Gentlest Ascent Dynamics. The framework determines thermodynamic and interfacial observables, including the nucleation free-energy barrier, mechanical balance at the interface and surface tension. It provides the curvature-dependent surface tension, from which we extract first- and second-order curvature corrections, enabling comparisons with classical theories. Finally, building on Hale’s scaled nucleation theory, we introduce a rescaling procedure that maps mesoscopic free-energy barriers onto macroscopic onset observables, yielding predictions for the onset supersaturation and the corresponding onset condensation pressure.
