Binodal curve/decomposition/points

Figure 2.16 Analysis of phase behaviour of a binary blend of polymer and solvent or two polymers exhibiting an upper critical solution temperature, Top variation of Gibbs free energy with composition, 0(0 = 0i or 02) at four temperatures. The tie line CC defines the compositions on the binodal curve. The locus of points defined by the points of inflection (9 G/90 )t,p = 0 define the spinodal curve. At point A (inside the spinodal curve), the mixture will spontaneously phase separate (into domains with compositions 0 and 0") via spinodal decomposition. However, at point B (outside the spinodal curve) there is an energy barrier to phase separation, which then occurs by nucleation and growth...

Figure 3J2 Energy relationships between solvus and spinodal decompositions. (A) Portion of Gibbs free energy of mixing curve in zone between binodal (X ) and spinodal (X ) points. (B) Gibbs free energy variation as a consequence of compositional fluctuations around intermediate points X and X(2). ...

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