Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Surface-wetting effects on the liquid-liquid transition of a single-component molecular liquid
Ken-ichiro Murata1, Hajime Tanaka
1Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan.
Abstract:
Even a single-component liquid may have more than two liquid states. The transition between them is called a 'liquid-liquid transition' (LLT). Such LLTs have recently attracted considerable attention mainly because of the fundamental interest in the physical origin of this counter-intuitive phenomenon. In this study, we report the first observation of wetting effects on LLT for a molecular liquid, triphenyl phosphite. We find a transition from partial to complete wetting for nucleation-growth-type LLT when approaching the spinodal temperature of LLT. Some features unique to LLT are also revealed, reflecting for example the non-conserved nature of its order parameter. We also find that the wetting behaviour is not induced by dispersion forces, but by weak hydrogen bonding to a solid substrate, implying its important role in the LLT itself. Using wetting effects may open a new possibility to control kinetics and spatial patterns of nucleation-growth-type LLT.
Related Concept Videos
Surface Tension of Fluid
Surface tension varies with...
Surface Tension
Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
Two Components: Liquid–Liquid Systems
Surface Tension and Surface Energy
Consider a beaker filled with liquid. The bulk molecules in the liquid experience equal attractive forces on all sides with the surrounding molecules. However, the surface molecules experience a net attractive force downward due to the bulk molecules. The surface of the liquid behaves like a stretched membrane,...
Intermolecular Forces and Physical Properties

