A simple theory of liquid—solid phase transitions

A simple phenomenological theory of liquid—solid phase transitions, based on the use of perturbation theory about a hard-sphere fluid, is examined. A temperature dependent hard-sphere diameter is determined which permits the prediction of solid and liquid densities and melting pressures. Calculations presented here for the Lennard-Jones 12-6 fluid show good agreement with the computer simulation results. Provided pair potentials are available, the theory may also be used for other fluids, including liquid metals.     

Raman and i.r. spectra of zinc,cadmium and calcium nitrate: A study of the low temperature phase transitions in calcium nitrate

Raman and i.r. spectra have been obtained for anhydrous Ca(NO₃)₂ at 298, 273, 195 and 77 K and for Cd(NO₃)₂ and Zn(NO₃)₂ at 298 and 77 K. The vibrational spectrum of Ca(NO₃)₂ at room temperature is in excellent agreement with a factor group analysis based on the T_h⁶ space group. Below room temperature, new bands appear which indicate that Ca(NO₃)₂ undergoes two phase changes between 77 and 298 K (Phase III

Phase II

Phase I). Anhydrous Cd(NO₃)₂ and Zn(NO₃)₂ do not appear to undergo phase changes between 77 and 298 K. The Raman spectra of Ca(NO₃)₂ (III), Ca(NO₃)₂ (II), Cd(NO₃)₂ (II) and Zn(NO₃)₂ suggest the presence of crystallographically non-equivalent sets of nitrate groups. Assignments have been aided by the use of ¹⁸O enriched nitrates.     

Raman scattering study of the low temperature phase transitions in ammonium nitrate

The phase changes in polycrystalline ammonium nitrate and its fully deuterated analogue have been studied by Raman scattering. The phase V and IV transition was found to be associated with the softening and intensity decrease of a NO₃^? librational mode. The Raman line-width data suggest that the VII to V phase transition involves a change in the degree of orientational order of the ions without incurring a change in lattice structure.     

Phase transitions in thallous nitrate. A reinvestigation

A detailed reinvestigation of the phase transitions in thallous nitrate using DSC, X-ray, IR and optical microscopy has been undertaken. The DSC measurements on anhydrous samples show that the orthorhombic [OR] → hexagonal [HEX] transition sets in at 349 ± 1 K and peaks around 353 K. However, its intensity depends upon several factors such as particle size, moisture content and thermal history of the sample. The HEX→cubic [C] transition sets in around 405 K and shows two peaks at ～409 K and 413 K. Their relative intensities depend on the moisture content and thermal history of the sample. On cooling, the peaks show hysteresis and, by selective thermal cycling, the pairs of transitions, which correspond to the same process during heating and cooling, have been identified. IR spectra recorded in the OR and HEX phases at room temperature show that the symmetric stretching frequency (～1040 cm^?1) of the nitrate ion gets damped in the HEX phase. X-ray and optical microscopy data are in good agreement with the DSC observations.     

A simple protocol for the probability weights of the simulated tempering algorithm: applications to first-order phase transitions

The simulated tempering (ST) is an important method to deal with systems whose phase spaces are hard to sample ergodically. However, it uses accepting probabilities weights, which often demand involving and time consuming calculations. Here it is shown that such weights are quite accurately obtained from the largest eigenvalue of the transfer matrix--a quantity straightforward to compute from direct Monte Carlo simulations--thus simplifying the algorithm implementation. As tests, different systems are considered, namely, Ising, Blume-Capel, Blume-Emery-Griffiths, and Bell-Lavis liquid water models. In particular, we address first-order phase transition at low temperatures, a regime notoriously difficulty to simulate because the large free-energy barriers. The good results found (when compared with other well established approaches) suggest that the ST can be a valuable tool to address strong first-order phase transitions, a possibility still not well explored in the literature.     

Communication: A simple method for simulation of freezing transitions

Despite recent advances, precise simulation of freezing transitions continues to be a challenging task. In this work, a simulation method for fluid-solid transitions is developed. The method is based on a modification of the constrained cell model which was proposed by Hoover and Ree [J. Chem. Phys. 47, 4873 (1967)]. In the constrained cell model, each particle is confined in a single Wigner-Seitz cell. Hoover and Ree pointed out that the fluid and solid phases can be linked together by adding an external field of variable strength. High values of the external field favor single occupancy configurations and thus stabilize the solid phase. In the present work, the modified cell model is simulated in the constant-pressure ensemble using tempering and histogram reweighting techniques. Simulation results on a system of hard spheres indicate that as the strength of the external field is reduced, the transition from solid to fluid is continuous at low and intermediate pressures and discontinuous at high pressures. Fluid-solid coexistence for the hard-sphere model is established by analyzing the phase transition of the modified model in the limit in which the external field vanishes. The coexistence pressure and densities are in excellent agreement with current state-of-the-art techniques.     

Models of phase transitions for adsorption of simple molecules on metal and oxide surfaces

The well known transfer-matrix method (TMM) of statistical physics is applied to different solid systems, namely metals and oxides. The method is very effective for understanding surface phase transitions in adsorption processes.     

A simple preparation of tervalent phosphirenes

1-Chlorophosphirenium salts obtained from RPCl₂, alkynes, and AlCl₃ are easily reduced by tributylphosphine around 0°C to give the corresponding tervalent phosphirenes ; when RPCl₂ is replaced by PCl₃, the same overall scheme gives a 1-(β-chlorovinyl)phosphirene which formally results from the addition of a second molecule of alkyne onto the P-Cl bond of the expected 1-chlorophosphirene.     

A simple and practical solvent-free preparation of polymaleimide

Polymaleimide (PMAI) was synthesized by reacting polymaleic anhydride (PMA) with urea via a solvent-free reaction at 180 °C. The conversion of PMA could reach 95%. This method is simple, practical and environmentally-friendly. The structure of the resulting PMAI was characterized by 1H-NMR and IR.     

A one-dimensional model with water-like anomalies and two phase transitions

We investigate a one-dimensional model that shows several properties of water. The model combines the long-range attraction of the van der Waals model with the nearest-neighbor interaction potential by Ben-Naim, which is a step potential that includes a hard core and a potential well. Starting from the analytical expression for the partition function, we determine numerically the Gibbs energy and other thermodynamic quantities. The model shows two phase transitions, which can be interpreted as the liquid-gas transition and a transition between a high-density and a low-density liquid. At zero temperature, the low-density liquid goes into the crystalline phase. Furthermore, we find several anomalies that are considered characteristic for water. We explore a wide range of pressure and temperature values and the dependence of the results on the depth and width of the potential well.     

Spectroscopy at very high pressures: Part 27. Raman study of the second-order phase transitions in sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate

Raman spectra of NaNO₂ have been studied as a function of hydrostatic pressure to 40 kbar at 295 and 348 K. Slight changes in slope of mode frequency versus pressure plots support the view that a structural anomaly exists at 9 ± 1 kbar. The absence of qualitative changes in the Raman spectra allow the space group of NaNO₂ IV to be specified as one of P1, P2, B2, Pm or Bm. The Raman spectrum of NaNO₃ has been studied to 87 kbar. The changes observed are fully consistent with a second-order transition to a phase with symmetry C⁶_3v, as indicated by previous X-ray work, although the transition is sluggish.     

Aureomycin nitrate,its preparation and identification

Summary Aureomycin hydrochloride does not show any promise as a reagent for qualitative detection or quantitative estimation of any of the common cations or aidons. The well developed crystals of the rather insoluble nitrate may be used for the identification of aureomycin. The low solubility of the nitrate may give a better stability as compared with the hydrochloride, which would be of interest to the pharmacist.

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Zusammenfassung Versuche mit Aureomycinhydrochlorid gaben keine Anhaltspunkte für eine Eignung dieser Verbindung als Reagens für die Auffindung oder Bestimmung der häufig angetroffenen Kationen oder Anionen. Die gut ausgebildeten Kristalle des wenig löslichen Nitrats können für die Erkennung von Aureomycin benützt werden. Die geringe Löslichkeit des Nitrats erhöht dessen Beständigkeit im Vergleich zum Hydrochlorid, was für Pharmazeuten von Interesse sein könnte.

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Résumé Le chlorhydrate d'auréomycine ne montre aucune propriété intéressante comme réactif de recherche qualitative ou d'estimation quantitative des cations et anions courants. On peut utiliser les cristaux bien développés de son nitrate assez peu soluble pour identifier l'auréomycine. La faible solubilité de ce nitrate peut lui conférer une meilleure stabilité que celle du chlorure ce qui est digne d'intérêt pour les pharmaciens.

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Dedicated to Prof. Dr.Hans Lieb at his 70th birthday.     

Surface order-disorder phase transitions and percolation

In the present paper, the connection between surface order-disorder phase transitions and the percolating properties of the adsorbed phase has been studied. For this purpose, four lattice-gas models in the presence of repulsive interactions have been considered. Namely, monomers on honeycomb, square, and triangular lattices, and dimers (particles occupying two adjacent adsorption sites) on square substrates. By using Monte Carlo simulation and finite-size scaling analysis, we obtain the percolation threshold theta(c) of the adlayer, which presents an interesting dependence with w/k(B)T (w, k(B), and T being the lateral interaction energy, the Boltzmann constant, and the temperature, respectively). For each geometry and adsorbate size, a phase diagram separating a percolating and a nonpercolating region is determined.     

Different types of phase transitions at charged interfaces: A thermodynamic analysis

A thermodynamic treatment of surface phase transitions due to orientational and structural effects is presented. It is shown that thermodynamics predict only two types of surface phase transitions: separation of the interface into two new phases and a kind of two-dimensional condensation. The first type takes place when both adsorbate and solvent molecules coexist at the interface. The new phases may be concentrated surface solutions of adsorbate in solvent and vice versa or pure adsorbate and a concentrated surface solution of adsorbate in solvent. In the last case, the adsorbate may be expelled in the form of a surface precipitate or micelles. The second type of surface phase transition occurs only at saturated interfaces with adsorbate molecules. Orientational and structural effects do not lead to independent transitions, as in bulk phases, but coexist in the two types of surface phase transitions. Rigorous relationships, which describe the transition region, are also developed and discussed.     

A simple procedure for the preparation of L-hexoses

A brief route for preparation of the L-hexenulose 4 from D-glucal 1 via furan intermediates 2 and 3 is described.     

A simple preparation of stationary phase of alkylamide reversed-phase liquid chromatograph for the separation of basic substances.

A simple preparation process of alkylamide phase for reversed-phase HPLC (RP-HPLC) is described. The process includes aminopropyltrimethoxysilane firstly reacted with octanoyl chloride, then the intermediate was coupled onto porous silica. The resultant bonded silica has a reproducible ligand surface concentration and homogenous bonded ligand distribution on the porous silica. Characterization of prepared packing was carried out with elemental analysis, solid-state 13C NMR and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). Chromatographic evaluations were carried out by using a mixture of organic compounds including acidic, basic and neutral analytes under methanol/water as binary mobile phase. The results showed that the stationary phase have excellent chromatographic properties and can be efficiently used for the separation of basic compounds.