Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Rotational dynamics of a dipolar supercooled liquid
Gemma Sesé1, Jordi Ortiz de Urbina, Ricardo Palomar
1Departament de Física i Enginyeria Nuclear, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Campus Nord-Mòdul B4, c/ Jordi Girona 1-3, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract:
We study the rotational dynamics of a supercooled molecular liquid by means of molecular dynamics simulations. The system under investigation is composed of rigid diatomic molecules with an associate dipole moment. At room temperature, orientational correlations decrease rapidly with increasing distances. Upon cooling, angles between dipole moments of molecules within the first coordination shell decrease. As for the dynamical properties, rotational diffusion coefficients decrease with temperature at a smaller rate than translational diffusion coefficients do, and the critical temperature associated with the former is lower than the one corresponding to their translational counterparts. Translation and rotation about an inertial axis are uncorrelated, whereas some coupling between translation and dipole reorientation is obtained.
Related Concept Videos
Phase Transitions: Melting and Freezing
Induced Electric Dipoles
Since the absolute value of potential energy holds no physical meaning, its zero value can be chosen as per...
Two Components: Liquid–Liquid Systems
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Relaxation Processes
Intermolecular Forces in Solutions
When the strengths of the intermolecular forces of attraction between solute and solvent species in a solution are no different than those present in the separated components, the solution is formed with no accompanying energy change. Such a solution is called an ideal solution. A mixture of ideal gases (or gases such as helium and argon,...
Nonideal Two-Component Liquid Solutions

