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arXiv · 0904.4460

Formation and kinetics of transient metastable states in mixtures under coupled phase ordering and chemical demixing

Ezequiel R. Soulé·Alejandro D. Rey
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Abstract

We present theory and simulation of simultaneous chemical demixing and phase ordering in a polymer-liquid crystal mixture in conditions where isotropic- isotropic phase separation is metastable with respect to isotropic-nematic phase transition. It is found that mesophase formation proceeds by a transient metastable phase that surround the ordered phase, and whose lifetime is a function of the ratio of diffusional to orientational mobilities. It is shown that kinetic phase ordering in polymer-mesogen mixtures is analogous to kinetic crystallization in polymer solutions.

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Ezequiel R. Soulé, Alejandro D. Rey. 2009-04-28. Formation and kinetics of transient metastable states in mixtures under coupled phase ordering and chemical demixing. https://doi.org/10.1209/0295-5075/86/46006

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