Past exam of the MPhil in micro- and nanotechnology enterprise course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / Paper 1 / Section B / 10 / iii

For a convex droplet, the Kelvin equation gives $\ln (p_{\mathrm{eq}}(r)/p_{\mathrm{sat}})=2\gamma {\overline{V}}_l/(rRT)$. Smaller droplets therefore require a higher equilibrium vapor pressure. At a common ambient vapor pressure, sufficiently small droplets evaporate while larger ones can grow, transferring material through the vapor. Ostwald ripening decreases the droplet count and increases a characteristic surviving radius. Direct collision and coalescence can also reduce the count but are a distinct mechanism. In a closed container the final state depends on total liquid/vapor inventory and volume; an initially undersaturated, liquid-poor system can lose all droplets rather than indefinitely grow a large one.

wetting liquid in narrow pores and gaps between fibers can have a concave meniscus. Its signed curvature is negative, so the Kelvin equation permits equilibrium at a vapor pressure below that above a flat liquid surface. capillary condensation in sufficiently small, wettable gaps explains moisture accumulation at high relative humidity. Increased humidity brings the vapor closer to flat-surface saturation and permits condensation in larger gaps. Surface adsorption can precede a bulk-like meniscus; large open spaces do not automatically fill at every humidity. The interpretation assumes a wetting contact geometry and does not require the entire cloth to be below the ordinary planar dew point.

The coarse texture comes from large ice crystals. Form many small crystals by rapid cooling with agitation and avoid extended storage near partial melting or repeated warming/cooling cycles. Curvature raises the chemical potential of smaller ice crystals, so material can transfer from smaller to larger crystals during recrystallization; partial melting followed by slow refreezing accelerates loss of a fine texture. A more viscous unfrozen phase and suitable stabilizing ingredients slow molecular transport and coarsening. Create small crystals quickly and suppress their subsequent growth with stable cold storage and slow transport. This applies interfacial and phase-change physics; it is not a claim that reducing droplet vapor pressure alone completely models a multicomponent frozen mixture.