Thermodynamical scaling of the glass transition dynamics

Modeling the structure and relaxation in glycerol-silica nanocomposites

The relationship between the dynamics and structure of amorphous thin films and nanocomposites near their glass transition is an important problem in soft-matter physics. Here, we develop a simple theoretical approach to describe the density profile and the α-relaxation time of a glycerol-silica nanocomposite (S. Cheng et al., J. Chem. Phys., 2015, 143, 194704). We begin by applying the Derjaguin approximation, where we replace the curved surface of the particle with the planar one; thus, modeling the nanocomposite is reduced to that of a confined thin film. Subsequently, by employing the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation data of Cheng et al., we approximate the density profile of a supported liquid thin film as a stationary solution of a fourth-order partial differential equation (PDE). We then construct an appropriate density functional, from which the density profile emerges through the minimization of free energy. Our final assumption is that of a consistent, temperature-independent scaled density profile, ensuring that the free volume throughout the entire nanocomposite increases with temperature in a smooth, monotonic fashion. Considering the established relationship between glycerol relaxation time and temperature, we can employ Doolittle-type analysis ("naïve" free-volume model), to calculate the relaxation time based on temperature and film thickness. We then convert the film thickness into the interparticle distance and subsequently the filler volume fraction for the nanocomposites and compare our model predictions with experimental data, resulting in a good agreement. The proposed approach can be easily extended to other nanocomposite and film systems.

Density scaling and isodynes in glycerol-water mixtures

This paper presents dielectric and neutron spectroscopy data on two different glycerol-water mixtures at elevated pressures. Glycerol-water liquid mixtures have a high concentration of hydrogen bonds which usually is expected to lead to complex dynamics. However, with regard to the pressure dependence of the dynamics we reveal a surprisingly simple picture. Different aspects of the dynamics have the same pressure dependence, in other words the phase diagram of the liquids have so-called isodynes, density scaling is also observed to hold reasonably well and there is even some reminiscence of isochronal superposition. This suggests that these aspect of liquid dynamics are very general and hold for different types of intermolecular interactions.

Polyhydric alcohols under high pressure: comparative ultrasonic study of elastic properties

We carried out an experimental ultrasonic study of polyhydric alcohols with the general chemical formula CnHn+2(OH)n with an increasing number of OH groups: glycerol (n = 3), erythritol (n = 4), xylitol (n = 5), sorbitol (n = 6). The baric and temperature dependences of the elastic characteristics of these substances in the crystalline and glassy states were studied both under isothermal compression up to 1 GPa and during the isobaric heating of 77-295 K. For glycerol, glasses were obtained at different cooling rates, glass-liquid transitions were studied at different pressures. All the studied glasses have lower elastic moduli than the same substances in the crystalline state at the same pressure-temperature conditions. We obtained a cascade of glass-supercooled liquid-crystal transitions during heating of glassy erythritol. In the series of substances with n = 3, 4, 5 the bulk moduli show a tendency to decrease with increasing n. However, sorbitol (n = 6) unexpectedly has the highest elastic moduli among the studied substances in both the glassy and crystalline states. The studied glassformers show a general tendency to increase the glass transition temperature Tg and the fragility coefficient m with increasing n.

Single parameter aging and density scaling

In a recent paper, Di Lisio et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 159, 064505 (2023)] analyzed a series of temperature down-jumps using the single-parameter aging (SPA) ansatz combined with a specific assumption about density scaling in the out-of-equilibrium system and did not find a good prediction for the largest down-jumps. In this paper, we show that SPA in its original form does work for all their data, including large jumps of ΔT > 20 K. Furthermore, we discuss different approaches to the extension of the density scaling concept to out-of-equilibrium systems.

Cellular Griffiths-like phase

Protein compartmentalization in the frame of a liquid-liquid phase separation is a key mechanism to optimize spatiotemporal control of biological systems. Such a compartmentalization process reduces the intrinsic noise in protein concentration due to stochasticity in gene expression. Employing Flory-Huggins solution theory, Avramov/Casalini's model, and the Grüneisen parameter, we unprecedentedly propose a cellular Griffiths-like phase (CGLP), which can impact its functionality and self-organization. The here-proposed CGLP is key ranging from the understanding of primary organisms' evolution to the treatment of diseases. Our findings pave the way for an alternative Biophysics approach to investigate coacervation processes.

Insight into properties of sizable glass former from volumetric measurements

Sizable glass formers feature numerous unique properties and potential applications, but many questions regarding their glass transition dynamics have not been resolved yet. Here, we have analyzed structural relaxation times measured as a function of temperature and pressure in combination with the equation of state obtained from pressure-volume-temperature measurements. Despite evidence from previous dielectric studies indicating a remarkable sensitivity of supercooled dynamics to compression, and contrary to intuition, our results demonstrated the proof for the almost equivalent importance of thermal energy and free volume fluctuations in controlling reorientation dynamics of sizable molecules. The found scaling exponent γ = 3.0 and Ev/Ep ratio of 0.6 were typical for glass-forming materials with relaxation dynamics determined by both effects with a minor advantage of thermal fluctuations involvement. It shows that the high values of key parameters characterizing the sensitivity of the glass transition dynamics to pressure changes, i.e., activation volume ΔV and dTg/dP, are not a valid premise for a remarkable contribution of volume to glass transition dynamics.

Role of anisotropy in understanding the molecular grounds for density scaling in dynamics of glass-forming liquids

Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of glass-forming liquids play a pivotal role in uncovering the molecular nature of the liquid vitrification process. In particular, much focus was given to elucidating the interplay between the character of intermolecular potential and molecular dynamics behaviour. This has been tried to achieve by simulating the spherical particles interacting via isotropic potential. However, when simulation and experimental data are analysed in the same way by using the density scaling approaches, serious inconsistency is revealed between them. Similar scaling exponent values are determined by analysing the relaxation times and pVT data obtained from computer simulations. In contrast, these values differ significantly when the same analysis is carried out in the case of experimental data. As discussed thoroughly herein, the coherence between results of simulation and experiment can be achieved if anisotropy of intermolecular interactions is introduced to MD simulations. In practice, it has been realized in two different ways: (1) by using the anisotropic potential of the Gay-Berne type or (2) by replacing the spherical particles with quasi-real polyatomic anisotropic molecules interacting through isotropic Lenard-Jones potential. In particular, the last strategy has the potential to be used to explore the relationship between molecular architecture and molecular dynamics behaviour. Finally, we hope that the results presented in this review will also encourage others to explore how 'anisotropy' affects remaining aspects related to liquid-glass transition, like heterogeneity, glass transition temperature, glass forming ability, etc.

Invariant dynamics in a united-atom model of an ionic liquid

We study a united-atom model of the ionic liquid 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethyl)sulfonylamide to determine to what extent there exist curves in the phase diagram along which the microscopic dynamics are invariant when expressed in dimensionless, or reduced, form. The initial identification of these curves, termed isodynes, is made by noting that contours of reduced shear viscosity and reduced self-diffusion coefficient coincide to a good approximation. Choosing specifically the contours of reduced viscosity as nominal isodynes, further simulations were carried out for state points on these, and other aspects of dynamics were investigated to study their degree of invariance. These include the mean-squared displacement, shear-stress autocorrelation function, and various rotational correlation functions. These were invariant to a good approximation, with the main exception being rotations of the anion about its long axis. The dynamical features that are invariant have in common that they are aspects that would be relevant for a coarse-grained description of the system; specifically, removing the most microscopic degrees of freedom in principle leads to a simplification of the potential energy landscape, which allows for the existence of isodynes.

Viscosity of Ionic Liquids: Theories and Models

Ionic liquids (ILs) offer a wide range of promising applications due to their unique and designable properties compared to conventional solvents. Further development and application of ILs require correlating/predicting their pressure-viscosity-temperature behavior. In this review, we firstly introduce methods for calculation of thermodynamic inputs of viscosity models. Next, we introduce theories, theoretical and semi-empirical models coupling various theories with EoSs or activity coefficient models, and empirical and phenomenological models for viscosity of pure ILs and IL-related mixtures. Our modelling description is followed immediately by model application and performance. Then, we propose simple predictive equations for viscosity of IL-related mixtures and systematically compare performances of the above-mentioned theories and models. In concluding remarks, we recommend robust predictive models for viscosity at atmospheric pressure as well as proper and consistent theories and models for P-η-T behavior. The work that still remains to be done to obtain the desired theories and models for viscosity of ILs and IL-related mixtures is also presented. The present review is structured from pure ILs to IL-related mixtures and aims to summarize and quantitatively discuss the recent advances in theoretical and empirical modelling of viscosity of ILs and IL-related mixtures.

Predicting the Density-Scaling Exponent of a Glass-Forming Liquid from Complex Dielectric Permittivity Measurements

One of the challenging problems related to the liquid-glass transition phenomenon is establishing a link between the character of intermolecular interactions and the behavior of molecular dynamics. Introducing the density scaling concept, according to which dynamic quantities, e.g., viscosity or structural relaxation time (τ_{α}) measured at different thermodynamic conditions are expressed as a single universal curve if plotted against ρ^{γ}/T, led to significant progress in solving this problem since the scaling exponent γ defines the steepness of the repulsive part of the intermolecular potential. Herein, we found that relaxation dynamics of van der Waals and H-bonding glass formers, for which the Kirkwood factor (g_{K}) is an isomorph-invariant quantity, satisfy an alternative scaling, logτ_{α} vs T(Δϵ_{s}T)^{-γ}. As a result, the exponent γ is determined from the temperature and pressure evolutions of τ_{α} and dielectric relaxation strength Δϵ-both obtained in a single dielectric experiment, which makes the γ coefficient to be accessed in the future for an extensive database of glass-forming liquids.

The origin of the density scaling exponent for polyatomic molecules and the estimation of its value from the liquid structure

In this article, we unravel the problem of interpreting the density scaling exponent for the polyatomic molecules representing the real van der Waals liquids. Our studies show that the density scaling exponent is a weighted average of the exponents of the repulsive terms of all interatomic interactions that occur between molecules, where the potential energy of a given interaction represents its weight. It implies that potential energy is a key quantity required to calculate the density scaling exponent value for real molecules. Finally, we use the well-known method for potential energy estimation and show that the density scaling exponent could be successfully predicted from the liquid structure for fair representatives of the real systems.

Excitations follow (or lead?) density scaling in propylene carbonate

Structural excitations that enable interbasin (IB) barrier crossings on a potential energy landscape are thought to play a facilitating role in the relaxation of liquids. Here, we show that the population of these excitations exhibits the same density scaling observed for α relaxation in propylene carbonate, even though they are heavily influenced by intramolecular modes. We also find that IB crossing modes exhibit a Gr[Formula: see text]neisen parameter ( γ G) that is approximately equivalent to the density scaling parameter γ TS. These observations suggest that the well-documented relationship between γ G and γ TS may be a direct result of the pressure dependence of the frequency of unstable (relaxation) modes associated with IB motion.

Combined description of pressure-volume-temperature and dielectric relaxation of several polymeric and low-molecular-weight organic glass-formers using SL-TS2 approach

We apply our recently-developed mean-field "SL-TS2" (two-state Sanchez-Lacombe) model to simultaneously describe dielectric α-relaxation time, τ_α, and pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) data in four polymers (polystyrene, poly(methylmethacrylate), poly(vinyl acetate) and poly(cyclohexane methyl acrylate)) and four organic molecular glass formers (ortho-terphenyl, glycerol, PCB-62, and PDE). Previously, it has been shown that for all eight materials, the Casalini-Roland thermodynamical scaling, τ_α = f(Tvγsp) (where T is temperature and v_sp is specific volume) is satisfied (R. Casalini and C. M. Roland, Phys. Rev. E, 2004, 69(6), 62501). It has also been previously shown that the same scaling emerges naturally (for sufficiently low pressures) within the "SL-TS2" framework (V. V. Ginzburg, Soft Matter, 2021, 17, 9094-9106). Here, we fit the ambient pressure curves for the relaxation time and the specific volume as functions of temperature for the eight materials and observe a good agreement between theory and experiment. We then use the Casalini-Roland scaling to convert those results into "master curves", thus enabling predictions of relaxation times and specific volumes at elevated pressures. The proposed approach can be used to describe other glass-forming materials, both low-molecular-weight and polymeric.

Temperature Dependence of Structural Relaxation in Glass-Forming Liquids and Polymers

Understanding the microscopic mechanism of the transition of glass remains one of the most challenging topics in Condensed Matter Physics. What controls the sharp slowing down of molecular motion upon approaching the glass transition temperature Tg, whether there is an underlying thermodynamic transition at some finite temperature below Tg, what the role of cooperativity and heterogeneity are, and many other questions continue to be topics of active discussions. This review focuses on the mechanisms that control the steepness of the temperature dependence of structural relaxation (fragility) in glass-forming liquids. We present a brief overview of the basic theoretical models and their experimental tests, analyzing their predictions for fragility and emphasizing the successes and failures of the models. Special attention is focused on the connection of fast dynamics on picosecond time scales to the behavior of structural relaxation on much longer time scales. A separate section discusses the specific case of polymeric glass-forming liquids, which usually have extremely high fragility. We emphasize the apparent difference between the glass transitions in polymers and small molecules. We also discuss the possible role of quantum effects in the glass transition of light molecules and highlight the recent discovery of the unusually low fragility of water. At the end, we formulate the major challenges and questions remaining in this field.

Pressing matter: why are ionic liquids so viscous?

Room temperature ionic liquids are considered to have huge potential for practical applications such as batteries. However, their high viscosity presents a significant challenge to their use changing from niche to ubiquitous. The modelling and prediction of viscosity in ionic liquids is the subject of an ongoing debate involving two competing hypotheses: molecular and local mechanisms versus collective and long-range mechanisms. To distinguish between these two theories, we compared an ionic liquid with its uncharged, isoelectronic, isostructural molecular mimic. We measured the viscosity of the molecular mimic at high pressure to emulate the high densities in ionic liquids, which result from the Coulomb interactions in the latter. We were thus able to reveal that the relative contributions of coulombic compaction and the charge network interactions are of similar magnitude. We therefore suggest that the optimisation of the viscosity in room temperature ionic liquids must follow a dual approach.

Isochronal superpositioning of the caged dynamics, the α, and the Johari-Goldstein β relaxations in metallic glasses

The superposition of the frequency dispersions of the structural α relaxation determined at different combinations of temperature T and pressure P while maintaining its relaxation time τ_α(T, P) constant (i.e., isochronal superpositioning) has been well established in molecular and polymeric glass-formers. Not known is whether the frequency dispersion or time dependence of the faster processes including the caged molecule dynamics and the Johari-Goldstein (JG) β relaxation possesses the same property. Experimental investigation of this issue is hindered by the lack of an instrument that can cover all three processes. Herein, we report the results from the study of the problem utilizing molecular dynamics simulations of two different glass-forming metallic alloys. The mean square displacement 〈Δr²t〉, the non-Gaussian parameter α₂t, and the self-intermediate scattering function F_sq,t at various combinations of T and P were obtained over broad time range covering the three processes. Isochronal superpositioning of 〈Δr²t〉, α₂t, and F_sq,t was observed over the entire time range, verifying that the property holds not only for the α relaxation but also for the caged dynamics and the JG β relaxation. Moreover, we successfully performed density ρ scaling of the time τ_α2,maxT,P at the peak of α₂t and the diffusion coefficient D(T, P) to show both are functions of ρ^γ/T with the same γ. It follows that the JG β relaxation time τ_β(T, P) is also a function of ρ^γ/T since τ_α2,maxT,P corresponds to τ_β(T, P).

Combined description of polymer PVT and relaxation data using a dynamic "SL-TS2" mean-field lattice model

We develop a combined model to describe the pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) thermodynamics and the α- and β-relaxation time dynamics in glass-forming amorphous materials. The PVT results are described using a two-state modification of the Sanchez-Lacombe equation of state (SL-EoS). The minimization of the Sanchez-Lacombe free energy expression allows one to calculate the density (or specific volume) and the "solid fraction" as a function of temperature and pressure. The solid fraction, ψ(T,P), is then substituted into the TS2 mean-field model (V. V. Ginzburg, Soft Matter, 2020, 16, 810), and the equilibrium relaxation times and the glass transition temperature are calculated. Finally, we use a dynamic model of a Tool-Narayanaswami-Moynihan (TNM)-type to describe the density relaxation as a function of the cooling rate. We applied the new framework to describe experimental data for polystyrene and poly(methylmethacrylate) and found a good qualitative and quantitative agreement.

Quantifying dynamical and structural invariance in a simple molten salt model

Recent experimental results for the structure in the ionic liquid PYR₁₄ ⁺TFSI^- have shown invariance in the main structure factor peak along curves of equal electrical conductivity [Hansen et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 22, 14169 (2020)]. The charge peak decreases slightly with increasing temperature at fixed conductivity, however. For simple liquids, curves with invariant dynamics and structure, known as isomorphs, can be identified as configurational adiabats. While liquids with strong-Coulomb interactions do not have good isomorphs, ionic liquids could be an intermediate case with approximate isomorphs along which some aspects of structure and dynamics are invariant. We study a simple molten salt model using molecular dynamics simulations to test this hypothesis. Simple measures of structure and dynamics are investigated along with one transport property, the shear viscosity. We find that there is a substantial degree of invariance of the self-intermediate scattering function, the mean square displacement, and the viscosity along configurational adiabats over a wide range of densities for the three adiabats simulated. The density range studied is more than a factor of two and extends from the strong-Coulomb regime at low densities to the weak-Coulomb regime at high densities. The structure is not invariant over the full range of density, but in the weak-Coulomb regime, we see behavior similar to that seen experimentally over density changes of order 15%. In view of the limited structural invariance but substantial dynamical invariance, we designate the configurational adiabats as isodynes.

On the Segmental Dynamics and the Glass Transition Behavior of Poly(2-vinylpyridine) in One- and Two-Dimensional Nanometric Confinement

Geometric nanoconfinement, in one and two dimensions, has a fundamental influence on the segmental dynamics of polymer glass-formers and can be markedly different from that observed in the bulk state. In this work, with the use of dielectric spectroscopy, we have investigated the glass transition behavior of poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) confined within alumina nanopores and prepared as a thin film supported on a silicon substrate. P2VP is known to exhibit strong, attractive interactions with confining surfaces due to the ability to form hydrogen bonds. Obtained results show no changes in the temperature evolution of the α-relaxation time in nanopores down to 20 nm size and 24 nm thin film. There is also no evidence of an out-of-equilibrium behavior observed for other glass-forming systems confined at the nanoscale. Nevertheless, in both cases, the confinement effect is seen as a substantial broadening of the α-relaxation time distribution. We discussed the results in terms of the importance of the interfacial energy between the polymer and various substrates, the sensitivity of the glass-transition temperature to density fluctuations, and the density scaling concept.

Targeted modifications in ionic liquids - from understanding to design

Ionic liquids are extremely versatile and continue to find new applications in academia as well as industry. This versatility is rooted in the manifold of possible ion types, ion combinations, and ion variations. However, to fully exploit this versatility, it is imperative to understand how the properties of ionic liquids arise from their constituents. In this work, we discuss targeted modifications as a powerful tool to provide understanding and to enable design. A 'targeted modification' is a deliberate change in the structure of an ionic liquid. This includes chemical changes in an experiment as well as changes to the parameterisation in a computer simulation. In any case, such a change must be purposeful to isolate what is of interest, studying, as far as is possible, only one concept at a time. The concepts can then be used as design elements. However, it is often found that several design elements interact with each other - sometimes synergistically, and other times antagonistically. Targeted modifications are a systematic way of navigating these overlaps. We hope this paper shows that understanding ionic liquids requires experimentalists and theoreticians to join forces and provides a tool to tackle the difficult transition from understanding to design.

Thermodynamic or density scaling of the thermal conductivity of liquids

Thermodynamic or density scaling is applied to thermal conductivity (λ) data from the literature for the model Lennard-Jones (12-6) fluid; the noble gases neon to xenon; nitrogen, ethene, and carbon dioxide as examples of linear molecules; the quasi-spherical molecules methane and carbon tetrachloride; the flexible chain molecules n-hexane and n-octane; the planar toluene and m-xylene; the cyclic methylcyclohexane; the polar R132a and chlorobenzene; and ammonia and methanol as H-bonded fluids. Only data expressed as Rosenfeld reduced properties could be scaled successfully. Two different methods were used to obtain the scaling parameter γ, one based on polynomial fits to the group (TV^γ) and the other based on the Avramov equation. The two methods agree well, except for λ of CCl₄. γ for the thermal conductivity is similar to those for the viscosity and self-diffusion coefficient for the smaller molecules. It is significantly larger for the Lennard-Jones fluid, possibly due to a different dependence on packing fraction, and much larger for polyatomic molecules where heat transfer through internal modes may have an additional effect. Methanol and ammonia, where energy can be transmitted through intermolecular hydrogen bonding, could not be scaled. This work is intended as a practical attempt to examine thermodynamic scaling of the thermal conductivity of real fluids. The divergence of the scaling parameters for different properties is unexpected, suggesting that refinement of theory is required to rationalize this result. For the Lennard-Jones fluid, the Ohtori-Iishi version of the Stokes-Einstein-Sutherland relation applies at high densities in the liquid and supercritical region.

Irreversible adsorption of polymer melts and nanoconfinement effects

For almost a decade, growing experimental evidence has revealed a strong correlation between the properties of nanoconfined polymers and the number of chains irreversibly adsorbed onto nonrepulsive interfaces, e.g. the supporting substrate of thin polymer coatings, or nanofillers dispersed in polymer melts. Based on such a correlation, it has already been possible to tailor structural and dynamics properties - such as the glass transition temperature, the crystallization rate, the thermal expansion coefficients, the viscosity and the wettability - of nanomaterials by controlling the adsorption kinetics. This evidence indicates that irreversible adsorption affects nanoconfinement effects. More recently, also the opposite phenomenon was experimentally observed: nanoconfinement alters interfacial interactions and, consequently, also the number of chains adsorbed in equilibrium conditions. In this review we discuss this intriguing interplay between irreversible adsorption and nanoconfinement effects in ultrathin polymer films. After introducing the methods currently used to prepare adsorbed layers and to measure the number of irreversibly adsorbed chains, we analyze the models employed to describe the kinetics of adsorption in polymer melts. We then discuss the structure of adsorbed polymer layers, focusing on the complex macromolecular architecture of interfacial chains and on their thermal expansion; we examine the way in which the structure of the adsorbed layer affects the thermal glass transition temperature, vitrification, and crystallization. By analyzing segmental dynamics of 1D confined systems, we describe experiments to track the changes in density during adsorption. We conclude this review with an analysis of the impact of nanoconfinement on adsorption, and a perspective on future work where we also address the key ideas of irreversibility, equilibration and long-range interactions.

Density Scaling Based Detection of Thermodynamic Regions of Complex Intermolecular Interactions Characterizing Supramolecular Structures

In this paper, applying the density scaling idea to an associated liquid 4-methyl-2-pentanol used as an example, we identify different pressure-volume-temperature ranges within which molecular dynamics is dominated by either complex H-bonded networks most probably leading to supramolecular structures or non-specific intermolecular interactions like van der Waals forces. In this way, we show that the density scaling law for molecular dynamics near the glass transition provides a sensitive tool to detect thermodynamic regions characterized by intermolecular interactions of different type and complexity for a given material in the wide pressure-volume-temperature domain even if its typical form with constant scaling exponent is not obeyed. Moreover, we quantify the observed decoupling between dielectric and mechanical relaxations of the material in the density scaling regime. The suggested methods of analyses and their interpretations open new prospects for formulating models based on proper effective intermolecular potentials describing physicochemical phenomena near the glass transition.

On the pressure dependence of the thermodynamical scaling exponent γ

Since its initial discovery more than fifteen years ago, the thermodynamical scaling of the dynamics of supercooled liquids has been used to provide many new important insights in the physics of liquids, particularly on the link between dynamics and intermolecular potential. A question that has long been discussed is whether the scaling exponent γ_S is a constant or does it depends on pressure. An alternative definition of the scaling parameter, γ_I = ∂ ln T/∂ ln ρ|_X has been presented in the literature, and has been erroneously considered equivalent to γ_S. Here we offer a simple method to determine the pressure dependence of γ_I using only the pressure dependence of the glass transition and the equation of state. Using this new method we find that for the six nonassociated liquids investigated, γ_I always decreases with increasing pressure. Importantly in all cases the value of γ_I remains always larger than 4. Liquids having γ_I closer to 4 at low pressure show a smaller change in γ_I with pressure. We argue that this result has very important consequences for the experimental determination of the functional form of the repulsive part of the potential in liquids. Comparing the pressure and temperature dependence of γ_S and γ_I we find, contrary to what has been assumed in the literature to date, that these two parameters are not equivalent and have very different pressure and temperature dependences.

Temperature and pressure dependence of the alpha relaxation in ortho-terphenyl

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of ortho-terphenyl using an all-atom model with the optimized potentials for liquid simulations (OPLS) force field were performed both in the high temperature Arrhenian region and at lower temperatures that include the onset of the super-Arrhenian region. From the MD simulations, the internal energy of both the equilibrium liquid and crystal was determined from 300 K to 600 K and at pressures from 0.1 MPa to 1 GPa. The translational and rotational diffusivities were also determined at these temperatures and pressures for the equilibrium liquid. It is shown that within a small offset, the excess internal energy Ū_x from the MD simulations is consistent with the experimentally determined excess internal energy reported earlier [Caruthers and Medvedev, Phys. Rev. Mater. 2, 055604, (2018)]. The MD mobility data {including extremely long-time 1 atm simulations from the study by Eastwood et al. [J. Phys. Chem. B 117, 12898, (2013)]} were combined with experimental data to form a unified dataset, where it was shown that in both the high temperature Arrhenian region and the lower temperature super-Arrhenian region, the mobility is a linear function of 1/Ū_x(T,p), albeit with different proportionality constants. The transition between the Arrhenian and super-Arrhenian regions is relatively sharp at a critical internal energy Ū_x ^α. The 1/Ū_x(T,p) model is able to describe the mobility data over nearly 16 orders-of-magnitude. Other excess thermodynamic properties such as excess enthalpy and excess entropy (i.e., the Adam-Gibbs model) are unable to unify the pressure dependence of the mobility.

Structurally Related Scaling Behavior in Ionic Systems

We examine the density scaling properties of two ionic materials, a classic aprotic low molecular weight ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(perfluoroethylsulfonyl)imide ([BMIm][BETI]), and a polymeric ionic liquid, poly(3-methyl-1,2,3-triazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide) (TPIL). Density scaling is known to apply rigorously to simple liquids lacking specific intermolecular associations such as hydrogen bonds. Previous work has found that ionic liquids conform to density scaling over limited ranges of temperature and pressure. In this work, we find that the dc-conductivity of [BMIm][BETI] accurately scales for density changes of 17%; however, there is a departure from scaling for TPIL for even more modest variations of temperature and pressure. The entropy of both ionic samples conforms to density scaling only if the scaling exponent is allowed to vary linearly with the magnitude of the entropy.

Exploring the connection between the density-scaling exponent and the intermolecular potential for liquids on the basis of computer simulations of quasireal model systems

In this paper, based on the molecular dynamics simulations of quasireal model systems, we propose a method for determination of the effective intermolecular potential for real materials. We show that in contrast to the simple liquids, the effective intermolecular potential for the studied systems depends on the thermodynamic conditions. Nevertheless, the previously established relationship for simple liquids between the exponent of the inverse power law approximation of intermolecular potential and the density-scaling exponent is still preserved when small enough intermolecular distances are considered. However, our studies show that molecules approach each other at these very short distances relatively rarely. Consequently, only sparse interactions between extremely close molecules determine the value of the scaling exponent and then strongly influence the connection between dynamics and thermodynamics of the whole system.

A model-free analysis of configurational properties to reduce the temperature- and pressure-dependent segmental relaxation times of polymers

The segmental relaxation time data for poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinyl chloride), and linear and star polystyrene are analyzed using a model-free method to determine how the temperature- and pressure-dependent relaxation times, τ, scale with the relative configurational thermodynamic properties. The model-free method assumes no specific mathematical form, such as reciprocal linearity, and the configurational properties are referred to an isochronal state to eliminate the bias associated with the definition of the ideal glassy state. The scaling ability of a given configurational property is strongly material-dependent with the logarithm of τ scaling better with TS_c and H_c for poly(vinyl acetate), with TS_c, H_c, and U_c for poly(vinyl chloride), and with TS_c, H_c, and V_c for linear and star polystyrene. The choice of the isochronal reference state does not qualitatively affect the results.

Density scaling of structure and dynamics of an ionic liquid

The lines in the pressure–temperature phase diagram with constant conductivity are found to be lines where other dynamic variables as well as the molecular structure factor peak are constant, while charge ordering changes.

On the experimental determination of the repulsive component of the potential from high pressure measurements: What is special about twelve?

In this paper, we present an overview of results in the literature regarding the thermodynamical scaling of the dynamics of liquids and polymers as measured from high-pressure measurements. Specifically, we look at the scaling exponent γ and argue that it exhibits the limiting behavior γ → 4 in regimes for which molecular interactions are dominated by the repulsive part of the intermolecular potential. For repulsive potentials of the form U(r) ∝ r^-n, γ has been found to be related to the exponent n via the relation γ = n/3. Therefore, this limiting behavior for γ would suggest that a large number of molecular systems may be described by a common repulsive potential U(r) ∝ r^-n with n ≈ 12.

Dynamic Equivalence between Soft Star Polymers and Hard Spheres

Understanding the dynamics of soft colloids, such as star polymers, dendrimers, and microgels, is of scientific and practical importance. It is known that the excluded volume effect plays a key role in colloidal dynamics. Here, we propose a condition of compressibility equivalence that provides a simple method to experimentally evaluate the excluded volume of soft colloids from a thermodynamic view. We apply this condition to survey the dynamics of a series of star polymer dispersions. It is found that, as the concentration increases, the slowing of the long-time self-diffusivity of the star polymer, normalized by the short-time self-diffusivity, can be mapped onto the hard-sphere behavior. This phenomenon reveals the dynamic equivalence between soft colloids and hard spheres, despite the apparent complexity of the interparticle interaction of the soft colloids. The methods for measuring the osmotic compressibility and the self-diffusivities of soft colloidal dispersions are also presented.

Experimental Evidence for a State-Point-Independent Density-Scaling Exponent in Ionic Liquids

This Letter addresses a fundamental issue of condensed-matter physics, which is the validity of the density-scaling concept. For this purpose, the ambient and high-pressure conductivity measurements of two selected ionic liquids (ILs), with the different contribution of H-bonding interactions, were performed in the dynamic range of 13 orders of magnitude and corresponding to the density changes as large as 20%. All experimental data obtained within one compound are shown to superimpose each other when plotted as a function of ρ^{γ}/T. These results clearly show that for studied ILs the scaling exponent is a state-point-independent parameter that is in odds with the recent findings for van der Waals liquid [Sanz et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 055501 (2019)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.122.055501].

Chain Flexibility and the Segmental Dynamics of Polymers

Using molecular dynamics simulations, we examine the dynamics of a family of model polymers with varying chain length and torsional potential barriers. We focus on features of the dynamics of polymers that are seen experimentally but absent in simulations of freely rotating and freely jointed chains. The reduced effect of volume on the segmental dynamics with increasing chain length, a capacity for pressure densification, and the deviation from constant Johari-Goldstein relaxation time at a constant segmental relaxation time all have a common origin, torsional rigidity, and these effects become increasingly apparent for more rigid chains.

Testing density scaling in nanopore-confinement for hydrogen-bonded liquid dipropylene glycol

Recently, it has been demonstrated that the glassy dynamics of the molecular liquids and polymers confined at the nanoscale level might satisfy the density scaling law (ρ γ /T) with the same value of the scaling exponent, γ, as that determined from the high-pressure studies of the bulk material. In this work, we have tested the validity of this interesting experimental finding for strongly hydrogen-bonded molecular liquid, dipropylene glycol (DPG), which is known to violate the ρ γ /T scaling rule in the supercooled liquid bulk state. The results of the independent dielectric relaxation studies carried out on increased pressure and in nanopores, have led to an important finding that when the density change induced by geometrical confinement is not very large, DPG can still obey the density scaling law with the same value of the scaling exponent as that found for the bulk sample. In this way, we confirm that the information obtained from the universal density scaling approach applied to nanoscale confined systems is somehow consistent with the macroscopic ones and that in both cases the same fundamental rules governs the glass-transition dynamics.

Hidden scale invariance at high pressures in gold and five other face-centered-cubic metal crystals

Recent density functional theory simulations showed that metals have a hitherto overlooked symmetry termed "hidden scale invariance" [Hummel et al., Phys. Rev. B 92, 174116 (2015)PRBMDO1098-012110.1103/PhysRevB.92.174116]. This scaling property implies the existence of lines in the thermodynamic phase diagram, so-called isomorphs, along which structure and dynamics are invariant to a good approximation when given in properly reduced units. This means that the phase diagram becomes effectively one-dimensional with regard to several physical properties. This paper investigates consequences and implications of the isomorph theory in six metallic crystals: Au, Ni, Cu, Pd, Ag, and Pt. The data are obtained from molecular dynamics simulations employing many-body effective medium theory (EMT) to model the atomic interactions realistically. We test the predictions from isomorph theory for structure and dynamics by means of the radial distribution and the velocity autocorrelation functions, as well as the prediction of instantaneous equilibration after a jump between two isomorphic state points. Many properties of crystals tend to be dominated by defects, and many of the properties associated with these defects are expected to be isomorph invariant as well. This is investigated in this paper for the case of vacancy diffusion. In regard to the perfect crystal properties, we find the predicted invariance of structure and also, though less perfectly, of dynamics. We show results on the variation of the density-scaling exponent γ, which can be related to the Grüneisen parameter, for all six metals. We consider large density changes up to a factor of two, corresponding to very high pressures. Unlike systems modeled using the Lennard-Jones potential where the density-scaling exponent γ is almost constant, this quantity varies substantially when using the EMT potential and is also strongly material dependent.

Connecting 1D and 2D Confined Polymer Dynamics to Its Bulk Behavior via Density Scaling

Under confinement, the properties of polymers can be much different from the bulk. Because of the potential applications in technology and hope to reveal fundamental problems related to the glass-transition, it is important to realize whether the nanoscale and macroscopic behavior of polymer glass-formers are related to each other in any simple way. In this work, we have addressed this issue by studying the segmental dynamics of poly(4-chlorostyrene) (P4ClS) in the bulk and upon geometrical confinement at the nanoscale level, in either one- (thin films on Al substrate) or two- (within alumina nanopores) dimensions. The results demonstrate that the segmental relaxation time, irrespective of the confinement size or its dimensionality, can be scaled onto a single curve when plotted versus ρ^γ/T with the same single scaling exponent, γ = 3.1, obtained via measurements at high pressures in bulk. The implication is that the macro- and nanoscale confined polymer dynamics are intrinsically connected and governed by the same underlying rules.

Experimental Evidence for a State-Point-Dependent Density-Scaling Exponent of Liquid Dynamics

A large class of liquids obey density scaling characterized by an exponent, which quantifies the relative roles of temperature and density for the dynamics. We present experimental evidence that the density-scaling exponent γ is state-point dependent for the glass formers tetramethyl-tetraphenyl-trisiloxane (DC704) and 5-polyphenyl ether (5PPE). A method is proposed that from dynamic and thermodynamic properties at equilibrium estimates the value of γ. The method applies at any state point of the pressure-temperature plane, both in the supercooled and the normal liquid regimes. We find that γ is generally state-point dependent, which is confirmed by reanalyzing data for 20 metallic liquids and two model liquids.