The book covers recent developments in the theory of non-equilibrium thermodynamics and its applications. Four chapters are devoted to the foundations; an overview chapter is followed by recent results addressing the underlying principles of the theory. The applications are concerned with bulk systems, with heterogeneous systems where interfaces are central and with process units in industry where entropy production minimization is useful. There is also a collection of chapters under the heading mesoscopic non-equilibrium thermodynamics, giving in the end an overview of extensions of the theory into the non-linear regime. Bringing the literature up to date and detailing new approaches in this area of research, it is aimed at a predominantly, but not exclusively, academic audience of practitioners of thermodynamics and energy conversion.
Spis treści
Basis and scope; Fluctuating hydrodynamics and fluctuation-dissipation theorem in equilibrium series; Thermal fluctuations in non-equilibrium steady states; Local equilibrium in non-equilibrium thermodynamics; Diffusion in liquids: Experiments, molecular dynamics and engineering models; Non-equilibrium molecular dynamics; Non-equilibrium molecular self-assembly; Non-equilibrium thermodynamics for evaporation and condensation; Non-equilibrium thermodynamics applied to adsorption; Non-equilibrium thermodynamics of aqueous solution-crystal interfaces; membrane transport; Electrochemical energy conversion; Entropy production minimization with optimal control theory; Mesoscopic non-equilibrium thermodynamics; Non-equilibrium thermodunamics for nucleation kinetics; mesoscopic non-equilibrium thermodynamics in biology; Dynamics of complex fluid-fluid interfaces.