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Related Concept Videos

Phase Diagram01:19

Phase Diagram

The phase of a given substance depends on the pressure and temperature. Thus, plots of pressure versus temperature showing the phase in each region provide considerable insights into the thermal properties of substances. Such plots are known as phase diagrams. For instance, in the phase diagram for water (Figure 1), the solid curve boundaries between the phases indicate phase transitions (i.e., temperatures and pressures at which the phases coexist).
Phase Diagram01:24

Phase Diagram

A phase diagram is a graphical representation of the physical states of a substance under different conditions of temperature and pressure. It shows the boundaries between solid, liquid, and gas phases and the conditions at which these phases coexist in equilibrium. An area in a phase diagram represents a single phase, whereas lines or phase boundaries represent the equilibrium between two phases.In the phase diagram of water, the boundary line between the solid and liquid states illustrates...
Phase Diagrams02:39

Phase Diagrams

A phase diagram combines plots of pressure versus temperature for the liquid-gas, solid-liquid, and solid-gas phase-transition equilibria of a substance. These diagrams indicate the physical states that exist under specific conditions of pressure and temperature and also provide the pressure dependence of the phase-transition temperatures (melting points, sublimation points, boiling points). Regions or areas labeled solid, liquid, and gas represent single phases, while lines or curves represent...
Phase Changes01:19

Phase Changes

Phase transitions play an important theoretical and practical role in the study of heat flow. In melting or fusion, a solid turns into a liquid; the opposite process is freezing. In evaporation, a liquid turns into a gas; the opposite process is condensation.
A substance melts or freezes at a temperature called its melting point and boils or condenses at its boiling point. These temperatures depend on pressure. High pressure favors the denser form of the substance, so typically, high pressure...
The Phase Rule01:20

The Phase Rule

The phase rule describes the relationship between the variance (degrees of freedom), the number of components, and the number of phases in a system at equilibrium.Variance is a concept that denotes the number of independent intensive properties (properties are those that do not depend on the amount of material in the system), such as temperature, pressure, and composition, that can be altered without impacting the number of phases in equilibrium.In a single-component system, such as pure water,...
Phase Transitions: Sublimation and Deposition02:33

Phase Transitions: Sublimation and Deposition

Some solids can transition directly into the gaseous state, bypassing the liquid state, via a process known as sublimation. At room temperature and standard pressure, a piece of dry ice (solid CO2) sublimes, appearing to gradually disappear without ever forming any liquid. Snow and ice sublimate at temperatures below the melting point of water, a slow process that may be accelerated by winds and the reduced atmospheric pressures at high altitudes. When solid iodine is warmed, the solid sublimes...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2026

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal
06:24

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal

Published on: October 31, 2019

Design rules for phase-change materials in data storage applications.

Dominic Lencer1, Martin Salinga, Matthias Wuttig

  • 1I. Physikalisches Institut IA, RWTH Aachen University, Germany.

Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|April 7, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Phase-change materials enable rewritable data storage through reversible amorphous and crystalline states. Resonant bonding in crystalline structures provides a design rule for optimizing these materials for optical and electrical applications.

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Last Updated: Jun 3, 2026

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal
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Published on: October 31, 2019

Phase Diagram Characterization Using Magnetic Beads as Liquid Carriers
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Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
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Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Solid State Chemistry

Background:

  • Phase-change materials (PCMs) offer rapid, reversible switching between amorphous and crystalline states.
  • These distinct phases possess unique optical and electrical properties, making them suitable for rewritable data storage.
  • Identifying design rules for PCMs is crucial for optimizing their performance in devices.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate common structural and bonding features of successful phase-change materials.
  • To establish a design rule for phase-change materials based on resonant bonding.
  • To discuss transition kinetics and applications in optical and electrical data storage.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of structural motifs and electronic properties in crystalline phase-change materials.
  • Identification of resonant bonding as a key characteristic.
  • Review of existing literature on transition kinetics and device applications.

Main Results:

  • Typical structural motifs and electronic properties indicative of resonant bonding were identified in crystalline PCMs.
  • The occurrence of resonance was linked to material composition, establishing a design rule.
  • Understanding resonant bonding aids in predicting electrical and thermal conductivity.

Conclusions:

  • Resonant bonding in the crystalline state is a key factor for phase-change behavior and material contrast.
  • The derived design rule facilitates the discovery and optimization of novel phase-change materials.
  • This research advances the development of high-capacity optical discs and non-volatile electrical memories.