Relaxation and Diffusion in Complex Systems

Relaxation and diffusion are common phenomena in many branches of condensed matter physics, chemistry and materials sciences. This text presents experimental evidence of universal relaxation and diffusion properties in a range of complex materials and systems.

Experimental evidences of universal relaxation and diffusion properties in complex materials and systems are presented. The materials discussed include liquids, colloids, polymers, rubbers, plastic crystals, biomolecules, ceramics, electrolytes, fuel cell materials, molten salts, inorganic, organic, polymeric and metallic glass-formers. The origin of the universal properties is traced to the relaxation dynamic of interacting many-body systems, rigorous theory of which does not exist as this time. However taking advantage of some insight and guides by solutions of much simplified models, predictions of the properties have been generated. The predictions can explain qualitative as well as quantitative in many cases the experimentally observed properties of different complex materials, essentially from the strength of the many-body interaction. The success provides some measure of understanding the relaxation properties of complex interacting systems and also paves the way for the construction of rigorous theories in the future. Change of relaxation dynamics when dimensions are reduced to nanometer scale are also considered and discussed.

Exposes the reader to many different classes of materials and relaxation phenomena A thorough treatment of the Glass Transition Problem With over 1800 references and hundreds of figures, this book collects the results of many experiments and illustrates the universal behavior of relaxation and diffusion in interacting systems Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Auteur
Dr. Kia L. Ngai has worked in relaxation and diffusion in disordered and partially ordered systems across many disciplines for 25 years. He has authored or co-authored over 300 publications in archival journals. His works have been cited widely. Dr. Ngai has also written a chapter in the textbook, Physical Properties of Polymers, 3rd edition (Cambridge University Press, 2003); two chapters in Physical Properties of Polymers Handbook, edited by James E. Mark (Springer), and a chapter in Science and Technology of Rubber (Elsevier). He was the originator and organizer of the following large-scale international conference series entitled "International Discussion Meeting on Relaxations in Complex Systems": 1990, Herklion, Crete, Greece; 1993, Alicante, Spain; 1997 Vigo, Spain; 2001, Hersonissos, Crete, Greece; and 2005, Lille, France. I served as the editor of the Proceedings of each of these Meetings. The proceedings are published as refereed papers in the Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids (Elsevier) in 1991, 1994, 1998 and 2002.

Texte du rabat
Relaxation and Diffusion in Complex Systems comprehensively presents a variety of experimental evidences of universal relaxation and diffusion properties in complex materials and systems. The materials discussed include liquids, glasses, colloids, polymers, rubbers, plastic crystals and aqueous mixtures, as well as carbohydrates, biomolecules, bioprotectants and pharmaceuticals. Due to the abundance of experimental data, emphasis is placed on glass-formers and the glass transition problem, a still unsolved problem in condensed matter physics and chemistry. The evidence for universal properties of relaxation and diffusion dynamics suggests that a fundamental physical law is at work. The origin of the universal properties is traced to the many-body effects of the interaction, rigorous theory of which does not exist at the present time. However, using solutions of simplified models as guides, key quantities have been identified and predictions of the universal properties generated. These predictions from Ngai's Coupling Model can qualitatively as well as quantitatively explain the experimentally observed dynamic properties of different complex interacting materials and systems in many cases, essentially from the strength of the interaction. Change of relaxation and diffusion dynamics when dimension of the material is reduced to nanometer scale are consistent with the predictions. The success of the Coupling Model provides some measure of understanding the relaxation properties of complex interacting systems and also paves the way for the construction of rigorous theories in the future. Relaxation and Diffusion in Complex Systems describes advances that affect many different areas of research, and will be of particular interest to those working in the fields of materials science, nanotechnology, energy and medicine.

Contenu
Introduction.- Universal Relaxation and Diffusion Properties in Complex Systems.- Experimental Evidences.- Computer Simulations.- Theoretical Modeling and Interpretations.- Many-Body Relaxation Dynamic and Relation to Chaos.- Glass Transition and the Glassy State.- Role of Thermodynamics, Volume, Entropy and Temperature.- Polymer Viscoelasticity.- Ionic Conductivity Relaxation in Ionically Conducting Materials.- Relaxation and Diffusion at Nanometer Scales.- Relaxation in Biomolecules.