8 research outputs found
Scaling and Crossover to Tricriticality in Polymer Solutions
We propose a scaling description of phase separation of polymer solutions.
The scaling incorporates three universal limiting regimes: the Ising limit
asymptotically close to the critical point of phase separation, the "ideal-gas"
limit for the pure-solvent phase, and the tricritical limit for the
polymer-rich phase asymptotically close to the theta point. We have also
developed a phenomenological crossover theory based on the
near-tricritical-point Landau expansion renormalized by fluctuations. This
theory validates the proposed scaled representation of experimental data and
crossover to tricriticality.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Competition of Mesoscales and Crossover to Tricriticality in Polymer Solutions
We show that the approach to asymptotic fluctuation-induced critical behavior
in polymer solutions is governed by a competition between a correlation length
diverging at the critical point and an additional mesoscopic length-scale, the
radius of gyration. Accurate light-scattering experiments on polystyrene
solutions in cyclohexane with polymer molecular weights ranging from 200,000 up
to 11.4 million clearly demonstrate a crossover between two universal regimes:
a regime with Ising asymptotic critical behavior, where the correlation length
prevails, and a regime with tricritical theta-point behavior determined by a
mesoscopic polymer-chain length.Comment: 4 pages in RevTeX with 4 figure
Application of Minimal Subtraction Renormalization to Crossover Behavior near the He Liquid-Vapor Critical Point
Parametric expressions are used to calculate the isothermal susceptibility,
specific heat, order parameter, and correlation length along the critical
isochore and coexistence curve from the asymptotic region to crossover region.
These expressions are based on the minimal-subtraction renormalization scheme
within the model. Using two adjustable parameters in these
expressions, we fit the theory globally to recently obtained experimental
measurements of isothermal susceptibility and specific heat along the critical
isochore and coexistence curve, and early measurements of coexistence curve and
light scattering intensity along the critical isochore of He near its
liquid-vapor critical point. The theory provides good agreement with these
experimental measurements within the reduced temperature range