ASSIGNMENT # 1

What is thermodynamics of materials?

THERMODYNAMICS OF MATERIALS

MUHAMMAD SALMAN
MS-05

THERMODYNAMICS
Thermodynamics is a major discipline in science with wide spread application in all
branches of science and engineering, the subject was developed in the 19 th and
early 20th century through the efforts of engineers, physicists and chemists. The law
of thermodynamics are general, but their applications are specific to various
disciplines. Hence, the emphasis, content and approach differ considerably form
one branch to another in science and engineering disciplines
Thermodynamics is the branch of science that describes the behavior of matter
and the transformation between different forms of energy on a macroscopic scale
(human scale and larger).
Also defined as
Thermodynamics is the study of the effects of work, heat and energy on a system
and is concerned with large scale applications
Thermodynamics may be broadly classified into three:

Classical Thermodynamics
Statistical Thermodynamics
Irreversible Thermodynamics

Classical thermodynamics
Classical thermodynamics consists of first, second and third laws of
thermodynamics. It was developed in the 19th century and in the first decade of the
20th century. The zeroth law is later addition no recognized in many thermodynamics
texts. Classical thermodynamics treats a substance as a continuum, ignoring
behavior of atoms and molecules

Statistical thermodynamics
Statistical thermodynamics originated form the kinetic theory of gases, which
related pressure to average kinetic energy of molecules in an ideal gas. The
application of probability theory, quantum theory and statistical mechanics allowed
it to arrive at microscopic thermodynamics relation from atomistic (i.e. microscopic)
point of view. It was founded by Maxwell, Gibbs and Boltzmann in the late 19 th
century, and was developed further in 1920s and 1930s.

Irreversible thermodynamics
Irreversible thermodynamics deals with the application of thermodynamics to
reversible processes and was first proposed by J.Prigogine in 1942.
Another way of classifying thermodynamics is:
1. Thermodynamics of nonreactive systems.
2. Thermodynamics of reactive systems. Also known as chemical
thermodynamics. it is often considered as a part of physical chemistry, which
includes subject such as reaction kinetics and diffusion besides chemical
thermodynamics

Since it is only the classical thermodynamics which has widespread application in

metallurgical engineering and Materials science and Engineering. Broadly speaking,
the application of primarily chemical thermodynamics to metals and materials has
led to the development and growth of Metallurgical thermodynamics or its later
generalization as thermodynamics of materials
The application of laws and relationships of thermodynamics requires experimental
data such as enthalpies and free energies of reaction and processes, activity versus
composition relationships in solution, phase equilibria and phase diagram and phase
diagrams. Processing of metals and ceramics is carried out primarily at high
temperatures. Experimental measurements at high temperatures. Experimental
measurements at high temperatures poses certain problems, not encountered at
room temperature. Overcoming these require other technological developments i.e.
availability of high temperatures materials, techniques, apparatus as well as
instruments, many of which are not available earlier. Therefore experimental
measurements and assessment of thermodynamic data in high temperature
metallurgical and materials area required several decades of efforts by large
number of scientists. This is the reason why the subject of metallurgical
thermodynamics attained maturity as late as 1960/1970, although chemical
thermodynamics was well established by 1930.
In the early, several physical chemists tool interest in metals and inorganic
compounds as well as their behavior at high temperatures. It is they who did
pioneering work in thermodynamics of metals and materials.
The Zeroth law and its application to temperature measurements. First law of
thermodynamics has large influence on so many applications around us, transport
such an automotive, aircraft and marine all rely on the steady flow energy equation
which is a consequence of the first law of thermodynamics. The second law focuses
on the irreversibilities of substances undergoing practical processes. It defines the
process efficiency and isentropic changes associated with frictional losses and
thermal losses during the processes involved

APPLICATIONS

It enables one to derive relationships that quantitatively describe the nature

of the conversion of energy from one form into another.
It can be used to predict the equilibrium state of a reactive mixture as well as
the natural direction of change in a system not at equilibrium
Thermodynamics cant predict how long it takes for equilibrium to be
reached.
The knowledge of thermodynamic properties plays a crucial role in the design
and operation of chemical plants
The laws of thermodynamics dictate the state of matter and its
physiochemical characteristics and methods of extraction and processing of

minerals are similarly also governed by the innate physiochemical

characteristics