On the thermodynamics of periodic phases (Q1187474)

The authors deal with a theory of thermodynamical equilibrium for materials for which the free-energy density \(\psi(x)\) depends not only on the concentration (or mass density) \(u(x)\) (Gibbsian or zeroth-order materials) and its gradient \(u'(x)\) (first-order materials, or materials of van der Waals type), but also on \(u''(x)\), the second gradient of \(u\) (second-order materials). The main problem consists in characterizing equilibrium state \(u^*\) and the equilibrium response function \(\Psi\). Several important theorems in this direction are demonstrated.