DOMAIN-SPATIAL CORRELATION-FUNCTIONS AND SCALING RELATIONS OF NUCLEATION AND GROWTH IN POLYMER-FILMS

A theoretical model of nucleation and growth is presented in terms of a domain-spatial correlation function G(r,t). The domain-spatial corre lation function directly explores the transformed volume fraction, the time-dependent domain-size distribution function, and the spatial cor relation function of domain core centers, simultaneously throughout th e entire process. The scaling relation, G(r/R-g(t)) = G(r,t)/G(r = 0,t ), where R-g(t) is the location of the first minimum of G(r, t), has b een defined and evaluated from experimental data. It is exact for free growth during the postnucleation stage, and it also provides a basis for the interpolation between the impingement stage and the grain stru ctures.