2002/11/21 by M. D. Johnson, Mitchell D. Johnson, Johnson, M. D. +9
Computer Science · Engineering · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Binary number #Characterization and Applications of Magnetic Nanoparticles #Condensed matter physics #Dielectric #Electric field #FOS: Physical sciences #Field (mathematics) #Materials science #Mathematics #Nonlinear Dynamics and Pattern Formation #Nonlinear system #Phase (matter) #Phase transition #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Soft Condensed Matter (cond-mat.soft) #Spinodal #Spinodal decomposition #Statistical physics #Theoretical and Computational Physics #Thermodynamics #cond-mat.soft
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0211495
16 pages including 5 figures
arxiv created 2002/11/21 · openalex publication_date 2002/11/21 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
An electric-field-induced phase transition and pattern formation in a binary dielectric fluid layer are studied using a coarse-grained free energy functional. The electrostatic part of the free energy is a nonlinear functional of the dielectric function, which depends in turn on the local colloidal concentration. We determine the phase co-existence curve and find that beyond a critical electric field the system phase separates. Accompanying the phase separation are patterns similar to those observed in a spinodal decomposition of an ordinary binary fluid. The temporal evolution of the phase separating patterns are discussed both analytically and numerically by integrating a Cahn-Hilliard type of equation.