Open Access

ABSTRACT

Kinetics of the ordered phase growth across the phase separation of a multi-component liquid crystalline mixture

by Sergei Bronnikov¹, Sergei Kostromin, Vyacheslav Zuev

1 Russian Academy of Science, Institute of Macromolecular Componds, Bolshoi Prospekt 31, 199004 Sankt Petersburg, Russia. Phone/fax: +7 812 323 5942; E-mail: bronnik@hq.macro.ru

The International Conference on Computational & Experimental Engineering and Sciences 2009, 9(4), 207-214. https://doi.org/10.3970/icces.2009.009.207

Abstract

Kinetics of the ordered phase growth in a melted multi-component liquid crystalline mixture subjected to a deep cooling was studied using polarizing optical microscopy. The droplets of the ordered phase revealed in the optical images across the phase transition were segmented and treated statistically. In the resulting histograms, two overlapping statistical ensembles related to two main components of the mixture were recognized. These ensembles were successfully described using principles of irreversible thermodynamics and the mean droplet diameters within both ensembles were determined. Analysis of the mean droplet diameter as a function of time allowed recognition of two regimes involved in the ordered phase evolution: i) nucleation and rapid nucleus growth and ii) nucleus coarsening, i.e. Ostwald ripening. Both regimes were quantitatively described with the universal law for the cluster growth. The mechanisms responsible for the ordered phase growth were also recognized.

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