Thermophysics of Polymers I: Theory

1 Theoretical Aspects of Polymer Thermodynamics.- 2 Equilibrium Thermodynamics of Simple Fluids.- 2.1 Fundamental Equations and Equations of State.- 2.2 Balance Equations.- 2.3 Response Functions.- 2.4 Equilibrium and Stability Conditions.- 3 Homogeneous Mixtures.- 3.1 Mass Variables.- 3.2 Fundamental Equations, Subsidiary and Stability Conditions.- 3.3. Activities, Standard and Mixing Terms.- 3.4 Classes of Mixtures, Excess Quantities.- 3.5 Simple Non-ideal Mixtures.- 4 Heterogeneous Systems.- 4.1 Equilibrium and Stability with Respect to the Macroscopic Degrees of Freedom.- 4.2 Gibbs’ Fundamental Equation, Gibbs’ Phase Rule, Response Functions.- 5 Homogeneous Elastic Systems.- 5.1 Fundamental Equations and Equations of State.- 5.2 Response Functions.- 5.3 Energy and Entropy Elasticity.- 6 Molecular Aspects of Some Equilibrium Properties of Polymers.- 6.1 Linkage of Thermodynamics with Statistical Mechanics.- 6.2 The Polymer Coil.- 6.3 The Two-level System.- 6.4 The Extended Polymer Chain.- 6.5 The Ideal Polymer Crystal.- 7 Systems with Macroscopically Relevant Internal Degrees of Freedom.- 7.1 Preconditions, Fundamental Equations and Equations of State.- 7.2 Dynamic Laws.- 7.3 Dynamic Response Functions.- 7.4 Relaxation Phenomena.- 7.5 Linear Response to Periodic Perturbation.- 7.6 Connection with the Linear Theory of Aftereffects.- 7.7 Systems with Several Intercoupled Internal Degrees of Freedom.- 7.8 The Glass Transition.- 8 Phase Transitions.- 8.1 Phenomenological Classification.- 8.2 Melting and Crystallization of Polymers.- 8.3 Condis Crystals.- References.

Herbert Baur provides a simple description of the theory of thermophysics of polymers. In order to illustrate the theoretical skeleton he has only treated the simple, easily comprehensible problems of polymer physics. These, however, in detail. The main points covered are: thermally excited conformation isomery of polymers; phonon gas of ideal polymer crystals; the dissipative thermo-mechanical behavior of polymers, new aspects of viscoelastic behavior, glass transistion, and crystallization.

Written by an expert from the industry First concise treatment of the topic