COMPUTER-SIMULATION OF PHASE-SEPARATION IN A 2-DIMENSIONAL BINARY-FLUID MIXTURE

The spinodal decomposition and late-time domain growth in a two-dimens ional binary fluid have been studied for the first time by computer si mulation. The dynamical phase transition shows scaling, and evidence i s found of a competition between different growth mechanisms. The scal ing regime presents a time growth law with an exponent 1/2, and a subs equent crossover to a faster growth, possibly mediated by a 1/4 transi ent. Our results demonstrate that hydrodynamic modes play a decisive r ole in phase separation dynamics.