The Clausius-Mossotti Phase Transition in Polar Liquids

Abstract

The conventional Clausius-Mossotti polarization equation of state is known to be unstable for polar liquids having molecules with high polarizability. Room temperature water is an important example. The instability in the polarization equation of state is of the typical loop form requiring an ``equal area'' construction for studying the stable ordered phase. The ordered phase of a Clausius-Mossotti polar liquid then consists of domains each having a net polarization. The polarization may vary in direction from domain to domain. The ordered phases are quite similar to those previously discussed on the basis of Dicke superradiance.