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. 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)
3. Spontaneous liquid outflow from hydrophobic nanopores: Competing liquid–solid and liquid–gas interactions

   https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0068910  

   Li, Mingzhe; Zhan, Chi; Lu, Weiyi (November 2021, Applied Physics Letters)
4. 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
5. Thermodynamically driven assemblies and liquid–liquid phase separations in biology

   https://doi.org/10.1039/C8SM02285B  

   Falahati, Hanieh; Haji-Akbari, Amir (February 2019, Soft Matter)

   The sustenance of life depends on the high degree of organization that prevails through different levels of living organisms, from subcellular structures such as biomolecular complexes and organelles to tissues and organs. The physical origin of such organization is not fully understood, and even though it is clear that cells and organisms cannot maintain their integrity without consuming energy, there is growing evidence that individual assembly processes can be thermodynamically driven and occur spontaneously due to changes in thermodynamic variables such as intermolecular interactions and concentration. Understanding the phase separation in vivo requires a multidisciplinary approach, integrating the theory and physics of phase separation with experimental and computational techniques. This paper aims at providing a brief overview of the physics of phase separation and its biological implications, with a particular focus on the assembly of membraneless organelles. We discuss the underlying physical principles of phase separation from its thermodynamics to its kinetics. We also overview the wide range of methods utilized for experimental verification and characterization of phase separation of membraneless organelles, as well as the utility of molecular simulations rooted in thermodynamics and statistical physics in understanding the governing principles of thermodynamically driven biological self-assembly processes. 

   more » « less