Theory of complex fluids in the warm-dense-matter regime, and application to phase-transitions in liquid carbon

M. W. C. Dharma-wardana

Published 2016-07-26Version 1

Using data from recent laser-shock experiments and related density-functional molecular-dynamics simulations on carbon, we demonstrate that the ionic structures predicted within the neutral-pseudo-atom approach for a complex liquid in the warm-dense matter regime are in good agreement with available data, even where transient covalent bonding dominates ionic correlations. Evidence for an unusual phase transition of a liquid $\to$ vapor with an abrupt decrease in ionization occurring simultaneously is presented. Here a covalently-bonded metallic-liquid, i.e., carbon of density 1.0 g/cm$^3$, transits to a disordered mono-atomic fluid at 7 eV. Other transitions where the mean ionization $Z$ drops abruptly are also uncovered