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   https://doi.org/10.1002/pcr2.10045  

   Staub, Mark C.; Li, Christopher Y. (December 2018, POLYMER CRYSTALLIZATION)
2. Evidence of a liquid–liquid transition in a glass-forming ionic liquid

   https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2020878118  

   Harris, Matthew A.; Kinsey, Thomas; Wagle, Durgesh V.; Baker, Gary A.; Sangoro, Joshua (March 2021, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

   A liquid–liquid transition (LLT) is a transformation from one liquid to another through a first-order transition. The LLT is fundamental to the understanding of the liquid state and has been reported in a few materials such as silicon, phosphorus, triphenyl phosphite, and water. Furthermore, it has been suggested that the unique properties of materials such as water, which is critical for life on the planet, are linked to the existence of the LLT. However, the experimental evidence for the existence of an LLT in many molecular liquids remains controversial, due to the prevalence and high propensity of the materials to crystallize. Here, we show evidence of an LLT in a glass-forming trihexyltetradecylphosphonium borohydride ionic liquid that shows no tendency to crystallize under normal laboratory conditions. We observe a step-like increase in the static dielectric permittivity at the transition. Furthermore, the sizes of nonpolar local domains and ion-coordination numbers deduced from wide-angle X-ray scattering also change abruptly at the LLT. We independently corroborate these changes in local organization using Raman spectroscopy. The experimental access to the evolution of local order and structural dynamics across a liquid–liquid transition opens up unprecedented possibilities to understand the nature of the liquid state. 

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3. Liquid–liquid phase separation in artificial cells

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4. Liquid–liquid transition kinetics in D-mannitol

   https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0097865  

   Cao, Chengrong; Tang, Wei; Perepezko, John H. (August 2022, The Journal of Chemical Physics)

   The kinetics of the first order liquid–liquid transition (LLT) in a single-component liquid D-mannitol have been examined in detail by the high rate of flash differential scanning calorimetry measurements. By controlling the annealing temperature, the phase X formation from the supercooled liquid is distinguished by either a nucleation-growth or a spinodal-decomposition type of LLT. In the measured time–temperature-transformation curve the portion covering the nucleation-growth type of LLT can be well fitted with a classical nucleation theory analysis. 

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5. Liquid–liquid phase separation within fibrillar networks

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   Liu, Jason X.; Haataja, Mikko P.; Košmrlj, Andrej; Datta, Sujit S.; Arnold, Craig B.; Priestley, Rodney D. (September 2023, Nature Communications)

   Abstract Complex fibrillar networks mediate liquid–liquid phase separation of biomolecular condensates within the cell. Mechanical interactions between these condensates and the surrounding networks are increasingly implicated in the physiology of the condensates and yet, the physical principles underlying phase separation within intracellular media remain poorly understood. Here, we elucidate the dynamics and mechanics of liquid–liquid phase separation within fibrillar networks by condensing oil droplets within biopolymer gels. We find that condensates constrained within the network pore space grow in abrupt temporal bursts. The subsequent restructuring of condensates and concomitant network deformation is contingent on the fracture of network fibrils, which is determined by a competition between condensate capillarity and network strength. As a synthetic analog to intracellular phase separation, these results further our understanding of the mechanical interactions between biomolecular condensates and fibrillar networks in the cell. 

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