phase separation

Phase separation in physics refers to the process where a homogeneous mixture spontaneously separates into two or more distinct phases, each with different properties. This phenomenon is often visualized using phase diagrams, which map the stable phases of a substance or mixture under varying conditions of pressure and temperature.1

In multicomponent glasses, for instance, components may exhibit liquid-liquid immiscibility during cooling, leading to the formation of distinct glassy phases. This separation can occur through mechanisms like the nucleated droplet or spinodal processes, resulting in different microstructures. Understanding phase separation is crucial in various industrial applications, including glassmaking.2

Separation techniques, such as distillation, are based on differences in physical properties like boiling points between substances in different phases. Other separation methods rely on equilibrium or rate phenomena, involving the distribution of substances between two immiscible phases.3