Microphase separation as the cause of structural complexity in 2D liquids

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that microphase separation causes structural complexity in 2D liquids, revealing a mosaic of crystalline and amorphous regions that resemble phenomena in 3D complex liquids.

Contribution

It introduces a novel explanation for the structural mosaic in 2D liquids as microphase separation, linking it to phase coexistence and long-range correlations.

Findings

Identification of a mosaic of crystalline and amorphous clusters.

Evidence of phase coexistence in 2D liquid structures.

Conditions for mosaic stability involving critical behavior and correlations.

Abstract

Complex behavior in glassforming liquids is associated with formation of a mosaic of different structures. Using bond order parameters together with topological characteristics of the bond network, we show that in the mosaic of crystalline and amorphous clusters found in a 2D liquid the difference between structural sub- components translates into a difference between two coexisting phases. We suggest that the observed microphase separated mosaic is a 2D realization of what is usually invoked to explain special features found in 3D complex liquids. Conditions favoring mosaic stability are discussed; these conditions include a new type of critical behavior and long-range correlations between sub-component clusters.