Formation and kinetics of transient metastable states in mixtures under coupled phase ordering and chemical demixing

Abstract

We present theory and simulation of simultaneous chemical demixing and phase ordering in a polymer-liquid-crystal mixture in conditions where isotropic-isotropic phase separation is metastable with respect to isotropic-nematic phase transition. It is found that mesophase formation proceeds by a transient metastable phase that surround the ordered phase, and whose lifetime is a function of the ratio of diffusional-to-orientational mobilities. It is shown that kinetic phase ordering in polymer-mesogen mixtures is analogous to kinetic crystallization in polymer solutions. © EPLA, 2009.Fil: Soulé, Ezequiel Rodolfo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales; ArgentinaFil: Rey, A.D.. McGill University; Canad