Topological Signatures and Geometrothermodynamics of Critical Phenomena in Regularized Maxwell Black Holes

Abstract

We study the thermodynamic topology and microscopic interaction properties of charged black holes in RegMax gravity, focusing on the role of the coupling parameter $α$. Using the Duan topological current method together with Ruppeiner geometry, we show that $α$ controls a sharp change in phase structure. Above a certain critical threshold, we find that the Duan defect curve develops an intermediate branch and vertical tangency points, producing continuous (second-order) critical behaviour. Furthermore, the Ruppeiner curvature becomes negative at very small horizon radii before turning positive and progressively vanishing at larger radii. By contrast, below the critical value of the coupling, the intermediate black hole phase disappears, and the system shows a simpler small/large first-order/coexistence behaviour driven by free-energy competition. In this regime, the Ruppeiner curvature remains predominantly positive. Overall, increasing $α$ enriches the thermodynamic topology (allowing for second-order criticality) while simultaneously reducing the domain in which classical energy conditions (ECs) are satisfied, thus linking exotic thermodynamic behaviour to more severe violations of standard energy conditions.