Phase Transitions and the Casimir Effect in Neutron Stars

What lies at the core of a neutron star is still a highly debated topic, with both the composition and the physical interactions in question. In this thesis, we made assumptions regarding the composition to further study the interactions of matter during the transition phases. These phases, also known as nuclear pasta, come from the unique physical conditions which occur within neutron stars. We examine the feasibility of the Casimir effect manifesting during these phases, as well as the effects it would have on the total energy of the system. We find that the crust-core transition cannot support the proper conditions for the Casimir effect, and hope to show that the Casimir effect can occur at the quark-hadron transition.