LSW coarsening theory: large droplets grow at the expense of small ones
Parameters
Statistics
Droplets: —
⟨R⟩ = —
⟨R⟩³ = —
t = —
LSW Theory
Lifshitz–Slyozov–Wagner (1961): In the late-stage coarsening of a two-phase mixture, the mean droplet radius grows as:
⟨R⟩³ ∝ t
driven by the Gibbs–Thomson effect: small droplets have higher internal pressure (Δp = 2γ/R), dissolving in favor of large droplets. The LSW distribution is universal — a self-similar scaled shape regardless of initial conditions.