STIRRING RATE AS A CRITICAL PARAMETER IN CHIRAL-SYMMETRY BREAKING CRYSTALLIZATION

Symmetry breaking processes in both equilibrium and nonequilibrium sys tems are associated with critical parameters. In the general theory of symmetry breaking transitions, critical parameters have an important role. In this article, we present our study of rpm as a critical param eter in chiral symmetry breaking crystallization. The random distribut ion of crystal enantiomeric excess is obtained for various rpm. The re sults show how the probability distribution initially spreads and then develops two peaks in a way similar to that observed in a second-orde r symmetry breaking phase transition. It is also shown that the stocha stic kinetic equations that we had proposed for this process could rep roduce the experimentally observed relation between crystal enantiomer ic excess and rpm.