Interaction of metastable zone width and induction time based on nucleation potential

© 2020 American Chemical Society. The induction times at supersaturations of 1.15-1.24 and the metastable zone widths (MSZWs) with cooling rates of 6.0-30.0 K/h have been determined in the system of dicyandiamide and water. A model based on the accumulation of nucleation potential, derived from the classical nucleation theory, has been applied to estimate the critical nucleation potential and pre-exponential factor. The estimated values based on the experimental induction times or based on the experimental MSZWs were fairly consistent with each other. The pre-exponential factor was assumed to be constant in the model, while the modifications of the pre-exponential factor, dependent on the supersaturation, have been introduced to the model for more consistent between the estimations based on the induction time and the MSZW.