Influence of charge fluctuations on the critical behavior of electrolyte solutions

Critical behaviour of optical birefringence near the normal-incommensurate phase transition in [N(CH3)4]2ZnCl4 crystals under the influence of hydrostatic pressure

We have estimated the Ginzburg number G governing crossover from the asymptotic to the classical critical behaviour near the normal-incommensurate phase transition in [N(CH(3))(4)](2)ZnCl(4) (TMAZC) crystals and the dependence of G on the hydrostatic pressure (0.1-330 MPa), following from the experimental data for the optical birefringence and the quantitative analysis of temperature derivatives of the birefringence in the framework of the approximation of weak Gaussian fluctuations. The Ginzburg number found experimentally for TMAZC is G ∼ 8 × 10(-3) at the atmospheric pressure and a considerable part of it is assumed to refer to structural defects. It is shown that the G value for TMAZC decreases with increasing hydrostatic pressure and, based on analysis of the literature birefringence data for Cs(2)CdBr(4) and Cs(2)HgBr(4) crystals, this behaviour might be expected to be generally typical for all the A(2)BX(4) family. The results obtained are discussed using a phenomenological theory of second-order structural phase transitions. In particular, they provide a basis for estimating the limits of the asymptotic critical region in TMAZC and demonstrate that the major part of the incommensurate phase should belong to the crossover region.

Solvation effects in near-critical binary mixtures

A Ginzburg-Landau theory is presented to investigate solvation effects in near-critical polar fluid binary mixtures. Concentration dependence of the dielectric constant gives rise to a shell region around a charged particle within which solvation occurs preferentially. As the critical point is approached, the concentration has a long-range Ornstein-Zernike tail representing strong critical electrostriction. If salt is added, strong coupling arises among the critical fluctuations and the ions. The structure factors of the critical fluctuations and the charge density are calculated and the phase transition behavior is discussed.

Dipole fluid as a basic model for the equation of state of ionic liquids in the vicinity of their critical point

A model of dipole fluid for ionic liquids similar to molten NaCl is proposed. The estimates for the critical parameters are obtained with the help of the van der Waals equation of state. The influence of the rotation on the characteristics of a dipole pair and the location of the critical point is discussed. The dissociation of such a fluid near the critical point is considered.

Critical behavior of ionic liquids

The renormalization of the Landau-Ginzburg Hamiltonian for a system with Coulombic interactions caused by spatially inhomogeneous polarizational effects is discussed. It is shown that for ionic liquids with a strong dependence of the degree of dissociation on density, the nonclassical fluctuation region is significantly narrowed. The essential role of the association of ions is noted.