More Like this

1. Viscosity, enthalpy relaxation and liquid-liquid transition of the eutectic liquid Ge15Te85

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2020.120601  

   Zhu, Weidi; Gulbiten, Ozgur; Aitken, Bruce; Sen, Sabyasachi (February 2021, Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids)

   null (Ed.)
2. Anomalous properties in the potential energy landscape of a monatomic liquid across the liquid–gas and liquid–liquid phase transitions

   https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0106923  

   Zhou, Yang; Lopez, Gustavo E.; Giovambattista, Nicolas (September 2022, The Journal of Chemical Physics)

   As a liquid approaches the gas state, the properties of the potential energy landscape (PEL) sampled by the system become anomalous. Specifically, (i) the mechanically stable local minima of the PEL [inherent structures (IS)] can exhibit cavitation above the so-called Sastry volume, v S , before the liquid enters the gas phase. In addition, (ii) the pressure of the liquid at the sampled IS [i.e., the PEL equation of state, P IS ( v)] develops a spinodal-like minimum at v S . We perform molecular dynamics simulations of a monatomic water-like liquid and verify that points (i) and (ii) hold at high temperatures. However, at low temperatures, cavitation in the liquid and the corresponding IS occurs simultaneously and a Sastry volume cannot be defined. Remarkably, at intermediate/high temperatures, the IS of the liquid can exhibit crystallization, i.e., the liquid regularly visits the regions of the PEL that belong to the crystal state. The model liquid considered also exhibits a liquid–liquid phase transition (LLPT) between a low-density and a high-density liquid (LDL and HDL). By studying the behavior of P IS ( v) during the LLPT, we identify a Sastry volume for both LDL and HDL. The HDL Sastry volume marks the onset above which IS are heterogeneous (composed of LDL and HDL particles), analogous to points (i) and (ii) above. However, the relationship between the LDL Sastry volume and the onset of heterogeneous IS is less evident. We conclude by presenting a thermodynamic argument that can explain the behavior of the PEL equation of state P IS ( v) across both the liquid–gas phase transition and LLPT. 

   more » « less
3. Liquid–liquid phase separation of Tau by self and complex coacervation

   https://doi.org/10.1002/pro.4101  

   Najafi, Saeed; Lin, Yanxian; Longhini, Andrew_P; Zhang, Xuemei; Delaney, Kris_T; Kosik, Kenneth_S; Fredrickson, Glenn_H; Shea, Joan‐Emma; Han, Songi (May 2021, Protein Science)

   Abstract The liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) of Tau has been postulated to play a role in modulating the aggregation property of Tau, a process known to be critically associated with the pathology of a broad range of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's Disease. Taucan undergo LLPS by homotypic interaction through self‐coacervation (SC) or by heterotypic association through complex‐coacervation (CC) between Tau and binding partners such as RNA. What is unclear is in what way the formation mechanisms for self and complex coacervation of Tau are similar or different, and the addition of a binding partner to Tau alters the properties of LLPS and Tau. A combination ofin vitroexperimental and computational study reveals that the primary driving force for both Tau CC and SC is electrostatic interactions between Tau‐RNA or Tau‐Tau macromolecules. The liquid condensates formed by the complex coacervation of Tau and RNA have distinctly higher micro‐viscosity and greater thermal stability than that formed by the SC of Tau. Our study shows that subtle changes in solution conditions, including molecular crowding and the presence of binding partners, can lead to the formation of different types of Tau condensates with distinct micro‐viscosity that can coexist as persistent and immiscible entities in solution. We speculate that the formation, rheological properties and stability of Tau droplets can be readily tuned by cellular factors, and that liquid condensation of Tau can alter the conformational equilibrium of Tau. 

   more » « less
4. Effects of liquid properties on the development of nanosecond-pulsed plasma inside of liquid: comparison of water and liquid nitrogen

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/ad211f  

   Song, Zhiheng; Fridman, Alexander; Dobrynin, Danil (February 2024, Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics)

   Abstract In this manuscript, we report on observations of the development of nanosecond-pulsed plasma in liquids and examine liquids with two drastically different properties: water and liquid nitrogen. Here, we compare the discharge appearance using high-speed imaging, examine bubble formation using shadow imaging, and measure the time-averaged optical emission spectra of these plasmas. Because the liquid nitrogen plasma is ignited in a liquid that is at boiling temperature, we also study the water discharge at various temperatures, up to boiling. We demonstrate that the discharge development appears not to be affected by this type of liquid. Optical emission, however, is strikingly different: in water, we observe continuum emission in the UV region only and no black-body continuum or atomic lines, whereas the liquid nitrogen spectrum is populated by molecular and longer wavelength broadband emissions. 

   more » « less
5. Polyamorphism and liquid-liquid transformations in D-mannitol

   https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5041757  

   Tang, W.; Perepezko, J. H. (August 2018, The Journal of Chemical Physics)