THE FREEZING TRANSITION IN SF6

Abstract This work confirms the result of the Bartell group (K.E. Kinney, S. Xu, L.S. Bartell, J. Phys. Chem. 100 (1996) 6935) that the molecular liquid cluster of SF 6 , simulated by molecular dynamics, transforms to the plastic phase when cooled sufficiently slowly. This also occurs in the bulk at and below 140 K. Attempts are made to instigate or accelerate this transition by the introduction of 1% of defects, or by modelling the effect of shear and pressure fluctuations. The last method has proved successful, the system at 140 K undergoing a more rapid and distinct change of phase following the application of a few short pressure pulses. The tentative suggestion that pressure fluctuations are associated with nucleation remains open for further investigation.