Using molecular dynamics simulations we investigate the process of homogeneous crystallization of a typical nonpolar molecular liquid, carbon dioxide. A time-temperature-transformation plot is displayed, with the nucleation times being in the range of a few hundreds of picoseconds to a few nonoseconds. Directional anisotropy in the local molecular diffusion is found to be an important feature of the nucleation process.

• Received 25 April 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.75.3289