Kinetics of Fluid Phase Separation

TL;DR

This paper reviews the kinetics of fluid phase separation, discussing morphological differences, growth mechanisms, and simulation methods, supported by molecular dynamics simulations confirming theoretical predictions.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of phase separation kinetics across space dimensions, including new simulation validations of growth laws and mechanisms.

Findings

Confirmed disconnected structure growth mechanism via simulations

Validated theoretical growth laws with molecular dynamics

Outlined models and methodologies for studying phase separation

Abstract

We review understanding of kinetics of fluid phase separation in various space dimensions. Morphological differences, percolating or disconnected, based on overall composition in a binary liquid or density in a vapor-liquid system, have been pointed out. Depending upon the morphology, various possible mechanisms and corresponding theoretical predictions for domain growth are discussed. On computational front, useful models and simulation methodologies have been presented. Theoretically predicted growth laws have been tested via molecular dynamics simulations of vapor-liquid transitions. In case of disconnected structure, the mechanism has been confirmed directly. This is a brief review on the topic for a special issue on coarsening dynamics, expected to appear in Comptes Rendus Physique.