Interactive Two-Component Phase Diagrams

摘要

The topic of phase behavior in physical chemistry has strong appeal for the visual learner. First, a large body of data is consolidated into a multi-dimensional map of equilibrium behavior: the phase diagram. Second, conversations about equilibrium phase behavior are readily supported by live demonstrations or laboratory experiments. These direct observations of phase transitions emphasize the dynamic process by which a chemical system achieves a new state of phase equilibrium. However, the standard phase diagram is constrained to the printed page, and correlating the information contained in this static image with experimental observations of dynamic behavior requires an imaginative and informed mental leap on the part of the student. The many different lines and areas found in two-component phase diagrams are often challenging for a student to decode and analyze, although knowledge of the Gibbs phase rule can aid a student in this task (1).