Nucleation of CuCl in Glass at the Sample Heating Stage

Abstract

The peculiarities of the nucleation of CuCl nanoparticles at the heating stage in sodium-aluminum-borosilicate glass are studied by the method of exciton-thermal analysis. It is found that the concentration of CuCl particles in this process reaches its maximum. The concentration of CuCl particles increases as the heating time increases, while the average radius decreases. The numerical simulation shows that heating leads to the development of the maximum number of new phase nuclei due to the rapid growth of the critical radius. From a certain moment of heating, the dissolution of previously formed nuclei is observed. The CuCl phase concentration and the average radius of the particles’ radial distribution under heating for more than 5 min tend to the equilibrium value for the corresponding nucleation temperature.