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Frustration of crystallisation by a liquid-crystal phase
Christopher D Syme1, Joanna Mosses1, Mario González-Jiménez1
1School of Chemistry, WestCHEM, University of Glasgow, UK.
Scientific Reports
|February 18, 2017
Summary
Geometric frustration in n-butanol causes a liquid-crystal transition, inhibiting crystallization. This finding is key to understanding supercooling and liquid-liquid transitions in many molecular liquids.
Area of Science:
- Physical Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Soft Matter Physics
Background:
- Locally favored structures frustrate crystallization, linking supercooling, glass formation, and liquid-liquid transitions.
- Understanding these phenomena is crucial for materials science and physical chemistry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cause of the putative liquid-liquid transition in n-butanol.
- To elucidate the role of geometric frustration and liquid-crystal phases in supercooling.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the isotropic to rippled lamellar liquid-crystal transition in n-butanol.
- Observational studies of frustrated phases in supercooled liquids.
Main Results:
- The observed liquid-liquid transition in n-butanol is attributed to geometric frustration during an isotropic to rippled lamellar liquid-crystal transition.
- This liquid-crystal phase actively inhibits the transformation to a crystalline state.
Conclusions:
- The frustrated liquid-crystal phase in n-butanol serves as a model for similar ordering in other liquids.
- This phenomenon is likely significant for supercooling and liquid-liquid transitions across various molecular liquids.
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