Comment on: Thermodynamic determination of the equilibrium first-order phase-transition line hidden by hysteresis

TL;DR

This paper emphasizes that the lower hysteresis line in first-order phase transitions should not be used to infer thermodynamic properties below its maximum temperature, clarifying a common misconception.

Contribution

It clarifies the correct interpretation of hysteresis lines in thermodynamic measurements of phase transitions, correcting a misapplication in prior work.

Findings

The lower hysteresis line does not represent thermodynamic equilibrium below its maximum.

Misusing hysteresis lines can lead to incorrect thermodynamic inferences.

Proper interpretation of hysteresis is essential for accurate phase transition analysis.

Abstract

This is a Comment on: Thermodynamic determination of the equilibrium first-order phase-transition line hidden by hysteresis, published in Sci Rep 13, 6876 (2023); arXiv:2303.00327, by K. Matsuura et al. We stress that the lower hysteresis line should not be used to infer any thermodynamic quantity below the temperature at which the lower hysteresis line shows a maximum.