Gentamycin Accelerates Calcium-Oxalate-Monohydrate (COM) Nucleation

Abstract

The classical nucleation theory states:

$$ J = A exp \left\{ { - 16\pi s^3 v^2 /3k^3 T^3 (m ln RS)^2 } \right\} $$

((I))

with J, the nucleation rate; A, the maximum possible rate of nucleation; RS, the relative supersaturation; s, the liquid-solid interfacial energy; and other terms, system parameters (1). Taking the logarithm, it becomes:

$$ 1n J = 1n A + B/1n^2 RS $$

with B defined by equation (I). It is conventional to consider J to be proportional to the nucleation lag time. Thus, by measuring lag times at various initial RS, it is possible to evaluate A and B and explore nucleation processes.