Phase Separation

Short description: Creation of two phases of matter from a single homogenous mixture

Mixing of liquids A and B and subsequent phase separation

When mixed, oil and vinegar will phase-separate

A phase diagram for two isotopes of helium, showing at bottom a range of temperatures and ratios at which they will phase-separate.

Phase separation is the creation of two distinct phases from a single homogeneous mixture.^[1] The most common type of phase separation is between two immiscible liquids, such as oil and water. This type of phase separation is known as liquid-liquid equilibrium. Colloids are formed by phase separation, though not all phase separations forms colloids - for example oil and water can form separated layers under gravity rather than remaining as microscopic droplets in suspension.

Phase separation in cold gases

A mixture of two helium isotopes (helium-3 and helium-4) in a certain range of temperatures and concentrations separates into parts. The initial mix of the two isotopes spontaneously separates into [math]\ce{ ^{4}He }[/math]-rich and [math]\ce{ {}^3He }[/math]-rich regions.^[2] Phase separation also exists in ultracold gas systems.^[3] It has been shown experimentally in a two-component ultracold Fermi gas case.^[4]^[5] The phase separation can compete with other phenomena as vortex lattice formation or an exotic Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov phase.^[6]

References

↑ "Phase separation". IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the "Gold Book") (2nd ed.). Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications. 1997. doi:10.1351/goldbook.P04534. ISBN 0-9678550-9-8. https://goldbook.iupac.org/html/P/P04534.html.
↑ Pobell, Frank (2007). Matter and methods at low temperatures (3rd rev. and expanded ed.). Berlin: Springer. ISBN 978-3-540-46356-6. OCLC 122268227.
↑ Carlson, J.; Reddy, Sanjay (2005-08-02). "Asymmetric Two-Component Fermion Systems in Strong Coupling". Physical Review Letters 95 (6): 060401. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.060401. PMID 16090928. Bibcode: 2005PhRvL..95f0401C.
↑ Shin, Y.; Zwierlein, M. W.; Schunck, C. H.; Schirotzek, A.; Ketterle, W. (2006-07-18). "Observation of Phase Separation in a Strongly Interacting Imbalanced Fermi Gas". Physical Review Letters 97 (3): 030401. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.030401. PMID 16907486. Bibcode: 2006PhRvL..97c0401S.
↑ Zwierlein, Martin W.; Schirotzek, André; Schunck, Christian H.; Ketterle, Wolfgang (2006-01-27). "Fermionic Superfluidity with Imbalanced Spin Populations" (in en). Science 311 (5760): 492–496. doi:10.1126/science.1122318. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 16373535. Bibcode: 2006Sci...311..492Z.
↑ Kopyciński, Jakub; Pudelko, Wojciech R.; Wlazłowski, Gabriel (2021-11-23). "Vortex lattice in spin-imbalanced unitary Fermi gas". Physical Review A 104 (5): 053322. doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.104.053322. Bibcode: 2021PhRvA.104e3322K.

v t e Solutions
Solution	Ideal solution Aqueous solution Solid solution Buffer solution Flory–Huggins Mixture Suspension Colloid Phase diagram Phase separation Eutectic point Alloy Saturation Supersaturation Serial dilution Dilution (equation) Apparent molar property Miscibility gap
Concentration and related quantities	Molar concentration Mass concentration Number concentration Volume concentration Normality Molality Mole fraction Mass fraction Isotopic abundance Mixing ratio Ternary plot
Solubility	Solubility equilibrium Total dissolved solids Solvation Solvation shell Enthalpy of solution Lattice energy Raoult's law Henry's law Solubility table (data) Solubility chart
Solvent	(Category) Acid dissociation constant Protic solvent Inorganic nonaqueous solvent Solvation List of boiling and freezing information of solvents Partition coefficient Polarity Hydrophobe Hydrophile Lipophilic Amphiphile Lyonium ion Lyate ion

Phase Separation

Contents

Phase separation in cold gases

See also

References

Further reading