Relation between thermodynamics and kinetics of glass-forming liquids.

Vitrification of a supercooled liquid is often characterized by the hypothetical kinetic instability point, the Vogel-Fulcher temperature T0, and the thermodynamic one, the Kauzmann temperature T(K). The widely believed relation T0 congruent with T(K) is regarded as the supporting evidence of a direct connection between the thermodynamics and kinetics of glass-forming liquids. Here we demonstrate that T(K)/T(0) systematically increases from unity with a decrease in the fragility, contrary to the common belief. This systematic deviation may be explained by a synergistic effect between the weaker cooperativity and the stronger tendency of short-range ordering in stronger glass formers.