Irreversible Thermodynamic Description of Domain Occurrences in Ferroics

2012 ◽  
Vol 560-561 ◽  
pp. 140-144
Author(s):  
Yuan Zhen Cai

Based on the irreversible thermodynamics, a irreversible thermodynamic description of domain occurrences in ferroics such as ferroelectrics, ferromagnetics and ferroelastics was given. The ferroic domain structures occur at the ferroic phase transitions from the prototype phases to the ferroic phases. The processes of transition are stationary state processes so that the principle of minimum entropy production is satisfied. The domain occurrences are a consequence of this principle. The time-spatial symmetry related to the domains and their occurrences was also expounded.

2013 ◽  
Vol 756-759 ◽  
pp. 4419-4422
Author(s):  
Jin Song Wang

The irreversibility of ferroelectric phase transitions has been studied by using the irreversible thermodynamics. The thermal hysteresis of first-order ferroelectric phase transitions and the polydomain structure of ferroelectrics can be explained on the basis of the principle of minimum entropy production. A conclusion has been derived that the thermal hysteresis is not an intrinsic property of a system in which a first-order ferroelectric phase transition occurs. The finiteness of the systems surface is connected with the thermal hysteresis.


1964 ◽  
Vol 42 (8) ◽  
pp. 1437-1446 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Kirkaldy

The stable free-fall flight of a maple seed gives an exceptionally graphic demonstration of the principle of minimum entropy production. Since the rate of entropy production is proportional to the steady-state rate of loss of potential energy, it is visually obvious that the stable rotary configuration represents a minimum of the entropy production rate relative to an unstable steady-state bomblike trajectory. Regarding this phenomenon as the prototype of many practical steady-state fluid-dynamical systems involving rotational modes, we formally demonstrate the possibility of mathematically defining the stable steady-state configuration by means of this variational principle.


2004 ◽  
Vol 50 (170) ◽  
pp. 342-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Perry Bartelt ◽  
Othmar Buser

AbstractAn essential problem in snow science is to predict the changing form of ice grains within a snow layer. Present theories are based on the idea that form changes are driven by mass diffusion induced by temperature gradients within the snow cover. This leads to the well-established theory of isothermal- and temperature-gradient metamorphism. Although diffusion theory treats mass transfer, it does not treat the influence of this mass transfer on the form — the curvature radius of the grains and bonds — directly. Empirical relations, based on observations, are additionally required to predict flat or rounded surfaces. In the following, we postulate that metamorphism, the change of ice surface curvature and size, is a process of thermodynamic optimization in which entropy production is minimized. That is, there exists an optimal surface curvature of the ice grains for a given thermodynamic state at which entropy production is stationary. This state is defined by differences in ice and air temperature and vapor pressure across the interfacial boundary layer. The optimal form corresponds to the state of least wasted work, the state of minimum entropy production. We show that temperature gradients produce a thermal non-equilibrium between the ice and air such that, depending on the temperature, flat surfaces are required to mimimize entropy production. When the temperatures of the ice and air are equal, larger curvature radii are found at low temperatures than at high temperatures. Thus, what is known as isothermal metamorphism corresponds to minimum entropy production at equilibrium temperatures, and so-called temperature-gradient metamorphism corresponds to minimum entropy production at none-quilibrium temperatures. The theory is in good agreement with general observations of crystal form development in dry seasonal alpine snow.


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