We report coexistence curves of the liquid–liquid phase transition in ionic solutions. The phase diagrams of tetra-n-butylammonium pricrate solutions in a series of alkanols (2-propanol, 1-decanol, 1-dodecanol, 1-tridecanol and 1-tetradecanol) are determined either by measuring the refractive index in the two phase region in one sample of near-critical composition as a function of the temperature, or by direct observation of the composition dependent phase separation temperatures. With the exception of the 2-propanol system, the critical points are in accordance with the predictions by the restricted primitive model. The coexistence curves are analyzed in terms of different composition variables, of which the volume fraction seems to be the most appropriate one. For the volume fraction, deviations from asymptotic Ising behavior are observed which are equally well described by a critical exponent slightly different from the Ising value or by Wegner corrections. Although the deviations are quite small, they show a systematic increase with decreasing dielectric constant of the solvent, thus suggesting an approach to the mean-field case. The significance of this finding is, however, weakened by the fact that the corrections to scaling are also affected by the choice of the composition variable. For all investigated systems, the diameter of the coexistence curve shows a pronounced nonanalytic temperature dependence.

We report turbidity, light scattering, and coexistence curve data for a solution of triethyl n-hexyl ammonium triethyl n-hexyl borate in diphenylether. We recently reported that the present sample shows much higher turbidity than that of K. S. Zhang, M. E. Briggs, R. W. Gammon, and J. M. H. Levelt Sengers [J. Chem. Phys. 109, 4533 (1998)] for an earlier sample. An analysis of the data shows that nonclassical critical behavior is favored in the reduced temperature range from 10−5 to 10−2. At fixed reduced temperature, the correlation length is about twice as large as that of the previous sample. The correlation length amplitude calculated from the fit is 1.4 nm±0.1 nm. A detailed data analysis points out the limitations of turbidity measurements far away from the critical point. The intensity of scattered light was measured at 90°. Multiple scattering is relevant in the wider vicinity of the critical point and was corrected for by a Monte Carlo simulation method. An Ising-type exponent for the correlation length was obtained: ν=0.641±0.003, and the amplitude of the correlation length ξ0=1.34 nm±0.01 nm agrees with that of the turbidity experiment. Mean-field behavior can be ruled out. The refractive indices of coexisting phases were measured in the reduced temperature range from t=10−4 to 0.04. These measurements disagree with results reported by R. R. Singh and K. S. Pitzer [J. Chem. Phys. 92, 6775 (1990)]. The present data lead to an exponent β=0.34±0.01, close to the Ising value. The coexistence curve is much narrower than that of Singh and Pitzer. Crossover could not be detected in any of the experiments. Two-scale-factor universality could be confirmed for this and another ionic system within the experimental uncertainty.

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The layered silicate (LS) modification and processing parameters applied control the morphology of the LS/polymer composites. Here, increasing the surface area of the LS particles by using alternative drying processes increases dispersion towards a more typical nanocomposite morphology, which is a basic requirement for promising flame retardancy. Nevertheless, the morphology at room temperature does not act itself with respect to flame retardancy, but serves as a prerequisite for the formation of an efficient surface protection layer during pyrolysis. The formation of this residue layer was addressed experimentally for the actual pyrolysis region of a burning nanocomposite and thus our results are valid without any assumptions or compromises on the time period, dimension, surrounding atmosphere or temperature. The formation of the inorganic-carbonaceous residue is influenced by bubbling, migration, reorientation, agglomeration, ablation, and perhaps also delamination induced thermally and by decomposition, whereas true sintering of the inorganic particles was ruled out as an important mechanism. Multiple, quite different mechanisms are relevant during the formation of the residue, and the importance of each mechanism probably differs from one nanocomposite system to another. The main fire protection effect of the surface layer in polymer nanocomposites based on non-charring or nearly non-charring polymers is the increase in surface temperature, resulting in a substantial increase in reradiated heat flux (heat shielding)