Introduction to the Thermodynamics of Solids

Bridging a gap in the literature, Professor Ericksen has drawn on his experience in research on solids to devise a series of lectures for graduates that introduce and illustrate uses of various important ideas with analysis which can be done using elementary mathematics. Simple strategies are discussed for thermoelastic bars and an ideal gas-solid mixture. Illustrative examples of thermodynamic stability theory include rudimentary analysis of cold-drawing in polymers, martensitic transformations in plates, instabilities in rubber balloons and sheets, peeling tapes, breaking bars, buckling of beams and instabilities produced by electromagnetic fields in liquid crystals. Non-equilibrium theory is illustrated by head conduction in rigid and deformable bars, including a fairly common way of using the Clausius-Duhem inequality to obtain thermodynamic restrictions on constitutive equations. Also covered is some elementary one-dimensional theory of shock waves and slower-moving phase boundaries. Finally, drawing on all these experiences, the last chapter treats general ideas in a more abstract way.

Generalities.- Constitutive theory of heat transfer for bars and plates.- Equilibrium theory of bars.- Balloon problems.- Balloon problems.- Biaxial stretch of rubber sheets.- Moving discontinuities.- Mixture theory.- Equilibrium of liquid crystals and rods.- Rconsideration of generalities.

Includes the real difficulties in trying to apply thermodynamics to certain phenomena * Discusses expert opinions on what should be considered the basic laws * Based on the author's experience in research on solids, and that most courses do not prepare students for this type of research * Introduces and illustrates important ideas requiring only a knowledge of calculus