Closed-loop liquid-vapor equilibrium in a one-component system

Abstract

We report Monte Carlo simulations that show closed-loop liquid-vapor equilibrium in a pure substance. As far as we know, this is the first time that such a topology of the phase diagram has been found for one-component systems. This finding has been achieved on a two-dimensional lattice model for patchy particles that can form network fluids. We have considered related models with a slightly different patch distribution in the order to understand the features of the distribution of patches on the surface of the particles that make possible the presence of the closed-loop liquid-vapor equilibrium, and its relation with the phase diagram containing the so-called empty liquids. Finally we discuss the likelihood of finding the closed-loop liquid-vapor equilibria on related models for three dimensional models of patchy particles in the continuum, and speculate on the possible relationship between the mechanism behind the closed-loop liquid vapor equilibrium of our simple lattice model and the salt-induced reentrant condensation found in complex systems.

5 pages (two columns); 7 Figures (Submitted to Physical Review)

References in corpus (2)

• Reentrant phase behaviour for systems with competition between phase separation and self-assembly
• Reply to Comment on Effect of polydispersity on the ordering transition of adsorbed self-assembled rigid rods

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