Ostwald Ripening — Lifshitz-Slyozov Coarsening

Parameters

N droplets 200 Diffusivity D 1.0 Capillarity α 0.5 Speed 5×

Coarsening Dynamics

⟨R⟩ (mean radius)—

N surviving—

⟨R⟩³/t (LSW)—

Time t0

R³ ~ t scaling—

About

Ostwald ripening: large droplets grow at the expense of small ones via diffusion. The Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner (1961) theory predicts ⟨R⟩³ ∝ (8Dσ/9RT)·t and a universal self-similar size distribution. Applies to phase separation in alloys, colloids, geological systems. The critical radius R* = ⟨R⟩ separates growing from dissolving droplets.