Liquid-Solid Phase Transition in He3-He4 Mixtures Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Measurements on the liquid-solid phase transition of He3-He4 mixtures have been performed by means of a strain-gauge technique. It was found that the freezing curves of mixtures with initial concentrations of greater than 5% He3 merged into a common curve with negative slope in the P-T plane. This curve is interpreted to be a three-phase equilibrium line or univariant involving the coexistence of bcc solid helium and the two phase-separated liquids, one rich in He3 and the other rich in He4. A number of other univariant lines involving these and other phases of helium have also been observed. Univariants intersect at quadruple points which are defined as points where four phases coexist. A quadruple point has been observed in these experiments involving coexistence of bcc solid helium, hcp solid helium, and the two phase-separated liquids at a temperature T=0.37K and a pressure P=26 atm. The data is discussed in terms of a three-dimensional phase diagram which is consistent with the Gibbs phase rule and with the results obtained by other investigators. 1969 The American Physical Society.

published proceedings

  • Physical Review

author list (cited authors)

  • Tedrow, P. M., & Lee, D. M.

citation count

  • 37

complete list of authors

  • Tedrow, PM||Lee, DM

publication date

  • May 1969