<b>Iron-atom condensation interpreted by a kinetic model and a nucleation model approach</b>

Abstract

The condensation of Fe atoms was studied over the temperature range of 750–1150 K at pressures between 0.3 and 0.45 bar behind incident shock waves based on Fe concentration measurements. For the interpretation of the experimental results, both a kinetic model as well as a nucleation model were used. A simplified reaction mechanism was proposed in the kinetic model and used for the interpretation of the measured concentration profiles. The thermal stability of Fe2 clusters represented by the recombination of Fe atoms and its reverse reaction were identified to be mostly responsible for the reaction progress. In the nucleation model a monodisperse aerosol was assumed to interpret the measured concentration profiles. Homogeneous nucleation and surface condensation was accounted for the consumption of iron atoms.