The main subject of the book is the continuum, field theoretic method of study of phase transformations in material systems. The method, also known as "phase field", allows one to analyze different stages of transformations on the unified platform. It has received significant attention in the materials science community recently due to many successes in solving or illuminating important problems. The book will address fundamentals of the method starting from the classical theories of phase transitions, the most important theoretical and computational results, and some of the most advanced recent applications.

This book describes a novel and popular method for the theoretical and computational study of phase transformations and materials processing in condensed and soft matter. The field theoretic method for the study of phase transformations in material systems, also known as the phase-field method, allows one to analyze different stages of transformations within a unified framework. It has received significant attention in the materials science community due to many recent successes in solving or illuminating important problems. In a single volume, this book addresses the fundamentals of the method starting from the basics of the field theoretic method along with its most important theoretical and computational results and some of the most advanced recent results and applications. Now in a revised and expanded second edition, the text is updated throughout and includes material on the classical theory of phase transformations. This book serves as both a primer in the area of phase transformations for those new to the field and as a guide for the more seasoned researcher. It is also of interest to historians of physics.

This textbook explains the physics of phase transformation and associated constraints from a metallurgical or materials science point of view, based on many topics including crystallography, mass transport by diffusion, thermodynamics, heat transfer and related temperature gradients, thermal deformation, and even fracture mechanics. The work presented emphasizes solidification and related analytical models based on heat transfer. This corresponds with the most fundamental physical event of continuous evolution of latent heat of fusion for directional or non-directional liquid-to-solid phase transformation at a specific interface with a certain geometrical shape, such as planar or curved front. Dr. Perez introduces mathematical and engineering approximation schemes for describing the phase transformation, mainly during solidification of pure metals and alloys. Giving clear definitions and explanations of theoretical concepts and full detail of derivation of formulae, this interdisciplinary volume is ideal for graduate and upper-level undergraduate students in applied science, and professionals in the metal making and surface reconstruction industries.

A Primer to the Theory of Critical Phenomena provides scientists in academia and industry, as well as graduate students in physics, chemistry, and geochemistry with the scientific fundamentals of critical phenomena and phase transitions. The book helps readers broaden their understanding of a field that has developed tremendously over the last forty years. The book also makes a great resource for graduate level instructors at universities. - Provides a thorough and accessible treatment of the fundamentals of critical phenomena - Offers an in-depth exposition on renormalization and field theory techniques - Includes experimental observations of critical effects - Includes live examples illustrating the applications of the theoretical material

This comprehensive and self-contained, one-stop source discusses phase-field methodology in a fundamental way, explaining advanced numerical techniques for solving phase-field and related continuum-field models. It also presents numerical techniques used to simulate various phenomena in a detailed, step-by-step way, such that readers can carry out their own code developments. Features many examples of how the methods explained can be used in materials science and engineering applications.

In the decade since the first edition of this popular text was published, the metallurgical field has undergone rapid developments in many sectors. Nonetheless, the underlying principles governing these developments remain the same. A textbook that presents these advances within the context of the fundamentals is greatly needed by instructors in the field Phase Transformations in Metals and Alloys, Second Edition maintains the simplicity that undergraduate instructors and students have come to appreciate while updating and expanding coverage of recently developed methods and materials. The book is effectively divided into two parts. The beginning chapters contain the background material necessary for understanding phase transformations - thermodynamics, kinetics, diffusion theory and the structure and properties of interfaces. The following chapters deal with specific transformations - solidification, diffusional transformation in solids and diffusionless transformation. Case studies of engineering alloys are incorporated to provide a link between theory and practice. New additions include an extended list of further reading at the end of each chapter and a section containing complete solutions to all exercises in the book Designed for final year undergraduate and postgraduate students of metallurgy, materials science, or engineering materials, this is an ideal textbook for both students and instructors.

A clear, concise and rigorous textbook covering phase transitions in the context of advances in electronic structure and statistical mechanics.

This book is an introduction to a comprehensive and unified dynamic transition theory for dissipative systems and to applications of the theory to a range of problems in the nonlinear sciences. The main objectives of this book are to introduce a general principle of dynamic transitions for dissipative systems, to establish a systematic dynamic transition theory, and to explore the physical implications of applications of the theory to a range of problems in the nonlinear sciences. The basic philosophy of the theory is to search for a complete set of transition states, and the general principle states that dynamic transitions of all dissipative systems can be classified into three categories: continuous, catastrophic and random. The audience for this book includes advanced graduate students and researchers in mathematics and physics as well as in other related fields.

The Advanced Study Institute on Field Theoretical Methods in Particle Physics was held at the Universitat Kaiserslautern in Kaiserslautern, Germany, from August 13 to August 24, 1979. Twenty invited lectures and seminar-speakers and 100 other participants attended this Institute. The contributions of most of the lecturers and seminar-speakers are contained in this volume. The revival of field theory in elementary particle physics that started about ten years ago has influenced all branches of elementary particle physics from fundamental research to pure phenomenology. The selection of field theoretical methods in part icle physics appropriate for the Institute is therefore the first task for the organizers. We decided to have constructive problems of gauge field theories and solvable models as two major areas to be covered during the Institute. If one considers the concepts and terminology currently used by pure field theorists, one notices that many of them were introduced and discussed first by pheno menologists in comparing quite elementary models directly with experimental data. For this reason, it seemed worthwhile to re serve considerable time to phenomenological field theory. The Institute was sponsored by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization whose funds made the Institute possible. It was co sponsored by the Bundes-Ministerium fur Forschung und Technologie in Bonn and the Landes-Ministerium fUr Kultus in Mainz. The City of Kaiserslautern made the Theodor Zink Museum avail able for a reception. Thanks are due in particular to its director, Dr. Dunkel.