On the thermodynamics of phase transitions in the crystals (Q1074359)

In this study the authors proposed thermodynamics of phase transitions in order to analyse the phase transitions of a crystal in the presence of surface effects. In this thermodynamic model two tridimensional continua are separated by an interface which is formed by continuous (elastic) bidimensional systems with different thermodynamical properties whose boundaries are constrained to one of the tridimensional continua. The local equations of balance and the jump conditions are derived from general integral laws of balance and the thermodynamical restrictions on the constitutive equations and on the jumps are obtained. In order to analyse the equilibrium at a given temperature of a crystal in the presence of liquid or vapor obtained from its melting, the previous considerations are applied to the equilibrium of a perfect fluid and an elastic solid which are divided by an elastic interface whose mechanical properties are discontinuous across a regular curve on it. The stresses exerted to the surface are supposed to be purely tangential. The analysis of the obtained system in the case of linear elasticity leads to the conclusion that the deformations which are solutions of the equilibrium system, correspond to states of certain uniform pressure, the faces of the crystal are plane and it is not possible to point out the effects of the surface tension. In nonlinear elasticity when the deformation of the crystal is supposed homogeneous these conclusions are valid also. The meaning of the different jump conditions of the equilibrium system are discussed qualitatively. The symmetries of the crystal are analysed by the authors and it is shown that if the stress tensor is isotropic relative to a given face then this face will assume a configuration having a constant curvature.