Long-Range Static and Dynamic Previtreous Effects in Supercooled Squalene—Impact of Strong Electric Field

This article presents evidence for the long-range previtreous changes of two static properties: the dielectric constant (ε) and its strong electric field related counterpart, the nonlinear dielectric effect (NDE). Important evidence is provided for the functional characterizations of ε(T) temperature changes by the ‘Mossotti Catastrophe’ formula, as well as for the NDE vs. T evolution by the relations resembling those developed for critical liquids. The analysis of the dynamic properties, based on the activation energy index, excluded the Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann (VFT) relation as a validated tool for portraying the evolution of the primary relaxation time. This result questions the commonly applied ‘Stickel operator’ routine as the most reliable tool for determining the dynamic crossover temperature. In particular, the strong electric field radically affects the distribution of the relaxation times, the form of the evolution of the primary relaxation time, and the fragility. The results obtained in this paper support the concept of a possible semi-continuous phase transition hidden below T(g). The studies were carried out in supercooled squalene, a material with an extremely low electric conductivity, a strongly elongated molecule, and which is vitally important for biology and medicine related issues.