Thermodynamics and Kinetics in Materials Science : A Short Course

This book is a concise and thorough introduction to the concepts and applications of thermodynamics and kinetics, suitable for a 1-2 semester course for upper-level undergraduates or first year graduate students in a materials-science-oriented discipline. It can also be used as a self-study guide, containing computer-based self-tests and "laboratories."

This text presents a concise and thorough introduction to the main concepts and practical applications of thermodynamics and kinetics in materials science. It is designed with two types of uses in mind: firstly for a one or two semester university course for mid- to upper-level undergraduate or first year graduate students in a materials-science-oriented discipline and secondly for individuals who want to study the material on their own. The following major topics are discussed: basic laws of classical and irreversible thermodynamics, phase equilibria, theory of solutions, chemical reaction thermodynamics and kinetics, surface phenomena, stressed systems, diffusion and statistical thermodynamics. A large number of example problems with detailed solutions are included as well as accompanying computer-based self-tests, consisting of over 400 questions and 2000 answers with hints for students. Computer-based laboratories are provided, in which a laboratory problem is posed and the experiment described. The student can "perform" the experiments and change the laboratory conditions to obtain the data required for meeting the laboratory objective. Each "laboratory" is augmented with background material to aid analysis of the experimental results.