In
chemistry,
materials science, and
physics, the 'solidus' is a line on a
phase diagram below which a given substance is stable in the
solid phase. Most commonly, this line represents a transition
temperature. The solidus may be a straight line, or it may be curved, depending upon the substance. The solidus is most often applied to
binary systems such as
solid solutions, including
metal alloys.
The solidus may be contrasted to the
liquidus. The solidus and liquidus do not necessarily align or overlap. If a gap exists between the solidus and liquidus, then within that gap, the substance is not stable as either a solid or a
liquid; such is the case, for example, with the
olivine (
forsterite-
fayalite) system.
Note that
water is very unusual in having a solidus temperature that decreases with increasing pressure. Most materials that do not contain water are more prone to solidifying (higher solidus temperature) under higher pressure.