monotropic transition
The
irreversible transition
from a
metastable
polymorphic form to the
stable
polymorph. Example: The transition of
metastable
CaCO
3
(aragonite-type) to the
stable
CaCO
3
(calcite-type).
Note:
For liquid crystals the term refers to a
liquid crystal
to
liquid-crystal transition
that occurs below the
melting
point and is revealed by supercooling of the crystal.
Source:
PAC, 1994,
66
, 577
(Definitions of terms relating to phase transitions of the solid state (IUPAC Recommendations 1994))
on page 586