Phases of Matter and their Transitions

A self-contained text that provides a holistic view on matter and its phase properties, with a special focus on economically important materials.

An all-in-one introduction to the chemical physics of solids, liquids and gases with a focus on the thermodynamic and structural aspects of phases and their transitions, also covering liquid crystals, ferroelectronics and surface phenomena.

Eine umfassende Einführung in die chemische Physik von Festkörpern, Flüssigkeiten und Gasen mit Schwerpunkt auf den thermodynamischen und strukturellen Aspekten von Phasen und Phasenübergängen, wobei auch Flüssigkristalle, Ferroelektronik und Oberflächenphänomene betrachtet werden.

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This textbook for advanced students in the molecular sciences gives a balanced and self-contained treatment of the thermodynamic and structural aspects of phases and the transitions between them, covering both solid, liquid, gaseous and mixed phases.

After laying the groundwork for describing particles and their interactions by both classical and quantum mechanics, it goes on to compare phenomenological and statistical thermondynamics, before focusing on each of the three major phases - gas, liquid, solid - in turn.

The second half of the book is devoted to phase transition, starting with a discussion of interfaces and covering both discontinuous and continuous transitions. Finally, the book examines materials with special properties due to their phase behaviour such as glasses, liquid crystals and ferroelectrics.

A comprehensive appendix with a guide to the mathematics and the theoretical models employed rounds off this all-in-one guide to phases and their transitions for advances students in chemistry, physics and materials science.