Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2025

Measuring the Densities of Aqueous Glasses at Cryogenic Temperatures
Published on: June 28, 2017
Melting Temperature Hidden Behind Liquid-Liquid Phase Transition in Glycerol
Szymon Starzonek1, Jakub Kalabiński2, Aleksandra Drozd-Rzoska2
1Institute of Theoretical Physics and Mark Kac Center for Complex Systems Research, Jagiellonian University, Kraków 30-348, Poland.
Abstract:
Liquid-liquid phase transitions play a pivotal role in various scientific disciplines and technological applications, ranging from biology to materials science and geophysics. Understanding the behavior of materials undergoing these transitions provides valuable insights into complex systems and their dynamic properties. This review explores the implications of liquid-liquid phase transitions, particularly focusing on the transition between low-density liquid (LDL) and high-density liquid (HDL) phases. We investigate the thermodynamic, structural, and mechanistic aspects of these transitions, emphasizing their relevance in diverse fields. The creation of dynamic heterogeneities and critical fluctuations during liquid-liquid phase transitions is discussed, highlighting their role in shaping the phase behavior and dynamics of complex fluids. Experimental observations, including the use of dielectric spectroscopy and nonlinear methods, shed light on the intricate nature of these transitions. Our findings suggest a connection between liquid-liquid phase transitions and critical phenomena, with implications for understanding the supercooled state and phase behavior of hydrogen-bonded liquids such as glycerol. Overall, this review underscores the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in unraveling the complexities of liquid-liquid phase behavior and addressing fundamental questions.
Related Concept Videos
Phase Transitions: Melting and Freezing
Phase Diagrams
Phase Transitions: Sublimation and Deposition
Phase Transitions
Freezing Point Depression and Boiling Point Elevation
The boiling point of a liquid is the temperature at which its vapor pressure is equal to ambient atmospheric pressure. Since the vapor pressure of a solution is lowered due to the presence of nonvolatile solutes, it stands to reason that the solution’s boiling point will subsequently be increased. Vapor pressure increases with temperature, and so a solution will require a higher temperature than will pure solvent to achieve any given vapor pressure, including one...
Phase Changes
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...

