Phase behaviour of symmetric binary mixtures with partially miscible components in slit-like pores. Application of the fundamental measure density functional approach

We investigate adsorption in slit-like pores of model symmetric binary mixtures exhibiting demixing in bulk phase, by using a density functional approach. Our focus is on the evaluation of the first-order phase transitions in adsorbed fluids and the lines separating mixed and demixed phases. The scenario for phase transitions is sensitive to the pore width and to the energy of adsorption. Both these parameters can change the phase diagrams of the confined fluid. In particular, for relatively wide pores and for strong wall-fluid interactions, the demixing line can precede the first-order transition. Moreover, a competition between layering transitions and demixing within particular layers also leads to further enrichment of the phase diagram.