Phase behavior of solvent-nematogen mixtures
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arXiv
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2026
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| _version_ | 1866917533426122752 |
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| author | Bailey-Darland, Sullivan Matsuzawa, Takumi Dufresne, Eric R. |
| author_facet | Bailey-Darland, Sullivan Matsuzawa, Takumi Dufresne, Eric R. |
| contents | Liquid mixtures with a nematogen can undergo both fluid phase separation and a transition from an isotropic to a nematic state. These phase transitions can couple and lead to phase behavior distinct from simple liquid mixtures or pure liquid crystals. We measured the phase behavior of mixtures of a nematogen (5CB) with simple liquid solvents (squalane and/or squalene). We observed two distinct kinds of binary phase diagrams: with and without a region of isotropic-isotropic coexistence. Varying the ratio of squalene to squalane, we continuously tuned the phase boundaries of the apparent binary system and revealed a region of three-phase coexistence. A mean-field model combining classical models of liquid mixing and nematic ordering quantitatively describes both binary and ternary phase behavior. This simple model predicts a range of topologically complex ternary phase diagrams and extends naturally to systems with more components. |
| format | Preprint |
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arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_26338 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Phase behavior of solvent-nematogen mixtures Bailey-Darland, Sullivan Matsuzawa, Takumi Dufresne, Eric R. Soft Condensed Matter Liquid mixtures with a nematogen can undergo both fluid phase separation and a transition from an isotropic to a nematic state. These phase transitions can couple and lead to phase behavior distinct from simple liquid mixtures or pure liquid crystals. We measured the phase behavior of mixtures of a nematogen (5CB) with simple liquid solvents (squalane and/or squalene). We observed two distinct kinds of binary phase diagrams: with and without a region of isotropic-isotropic coexistence. Varying the ratio of squalene to squalane, we continuously tuned the phase boundaries of the apparent binary system and revealed a region of three-phase coexistence. A mean-field model combining classical models of liquid mixing and nematic ordering quantitatively describes both binary and ternary phase behavior. This simple model predicts a range of topologically complex ternary phase diagrams and extends naturally to systems with more components. |
| title | Phase behavior of solvent-nematogen mixtures |
| topic | Soft Condensed Matter |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.26338 |