On the Laplace-Young equation applied to spherical fluid inclusions in solid matrices

Abstract A continuum theory of surfaces is successfully applied to analyse a set of molecular dynamics results obtained on systems consisting of nanosize fluid bubbles trapped in a solid matrix. The equations of this theory supplied with molecular dynamics data allowed calculating the Γ factor from the Laplace-Young equation as applied to systems of industrial interest, such as the helium bubbles that form along the ageing of some austenitic steel components of the nuclear reactors. The Γ factor was found to have a non-linear dependency on the helium/steel interface strain. These findings are in contradiction with the implicit assumption made in some published literature considering Γ as a constant.