TY - JOUR
T1 - A possible four-phase coexistence in a single-component system
AU - Akahane, Kenji
AU - Russo, John
AU - Tanaka, Hajime
PY - 2016/8/25
Y1 - 2016/8/25
N2 - For different phases to coexist in equilibrium at constant temperature T and pressure P, the condition of equal chemical potential μ
must be satisfied. This condition dictates that, for a single-component
system, the maximum number of phases that can coexist is three.
Historically this is known as the Gibbs phase rule, and is one of the
oldest and venerable rules of thermodynamics. Here we make use of the
fact that, by varying model parameters, the Gibbs phase rule can be
generalized so that four phases can coexist even in single-component
systems. To systematically search for the quadruple point, we use a
monoatomic system interacting with a Stillinger–Weber potential with
variable tetrahedrality. Our study indicates that the quadruple point
provides flexibility in controlling multiple equilibrium phases and may
be realized in systems with tunable interactions, which are nowadays
feasible in several soft matter systems such as patchy colloids.
AB - For different phases to coexist in equilibrium at constant temperature T and pressure P, the condition of equal chemical potential μ
must be satisfied. This condition dictates that, for a single-component
system, the maximum number of phases that can coexist is three.
Historically this is known as the Gibbs phase rule, and is one of the
oldest and venerable rules of thermodynamics. Here we make use of the
fact that, by varying model parameters, the Gibbs phase rule can be
generalized so that four phases can coexist even in single-component
systems. To systematically search for the quadruple point, we use a
monoatomic system interacting with a Stillinger–Weber potential with
variable tetrahedrality. Our study indicates that the quadruple point
provides flexibility in controlling multiple equilibrium phases and may
be realized in systems with tunable interactions, which are nowadays
feasible in several soft matter systems such as patchy colloids.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84984621897&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/ncomms12599
DO - 10.1038/ncomms12599
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
C2 - 27558452
AN - SCOPUS:84984621897
SN - 2041-1723
VL - 7
JO - Nature Communications
JF - Nature Communications
M1 - 12599
ER -