Eur. Phys. J. E (2021) 44: 51
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/s10189-021-00059-0

Regular Article - Soft Matter

Adsorption time scales of cluster-forming systems

Belarusian State Technological University, 220006, Minsk, Belarus

^a eldar.bildanov@gmail.com

Received: 2 October 2020
Accepted: 16 March 2021
Published online: 12 April 2021

Abstract

A microscopic model of adsorption in cluster forming systems with competing interaction is considered. The adsorption process is described by the master equation and modelled by a kinetic Monte Carlo method. The evolution of the particle concentration and interaction energy during the adsorption of particles on a plane triangular lattice is investigated. The simulation results show a diverse behavior of the system time evolution depending on the temperature and chemical potential and finally on the formation of clusters in the system. The characteristic relaxation times of adsorption vary in several orders of magnitude depending on the thermodynamic parameters of the final equilibrium state of the adsorbate. A very fast adsorption of particles is observed for highly ordered adsorbate equilibrium states.