A single strand of polymer is a chain of a large number of monomers. The monomers are joined by covalent bonds, and two bonded monomers may rotate relative to each other. At a finite temperature, the polymer rapidly changes from one configuration to another. When the two ends of the polymer are pulled by a force, the distance between the two ends changes. The polymer is known as an entropic spring.
After many publications and lecture notes, Prof. Ian Murdoch has finally organized much of that material in the form of a book.
I am very hopeful that like Prof. Murdoch's lectures, this monograph will also help the readers to develop a better understanding of the physical aspects of mechanics. It will be a valuable addition to the researchers' personal collection.
Link:
I have divided the old notes on temperature into three parts:
Our feeling of hotness comes from everyday experiences. These experiences indicate that many levels of hotness exist, and that all levels of hotness can be mapped to a real variable.
The notes and slides are attached. See related notes on thermodynamics.
Notes and slides for a course on engineering thermodynamics. I used the Dover edition of Carnot's book.
CSIRO division of Earth Science and Resource Engineering is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to develop a coupled Thermo-Hydro-Chemo-Mechanical (THCM) reservoir model for application to Engineered Geothermal Systems. To read the position details and to apply please visit this link: http://csiro.nga.net.au/?jobID=2aac9739-a118-8730-e510-64c65b15c683&audienceTypeCode=INT&appJobAd=1
For the third time I am teaching the graduate course on soft active materials. This course is called Advanced Elasticity in the Catalog of Courses. In the last several years, I have dropped several traditional topics, and focused on thermodynamics and finite deformation. I have added several topics where both thermodynamics and finite deformation play significant roles, such as elastomeric gels and dielectric elastomers.
I have just volunteered to teach engineering thermodynamics to undergraduates in the Fall semester of 2011. The students will be from all fields of engineering, primarily mechanical engineering, environmental engineering, and bioengineering. I have never taught this course before, and would love to hear from you about your experience, either as a student or as a teacher.
Here is what I have found from the website about the course.
Engineering Science 181 Engineering Thermodynamics
(Journal of Elasticity, Carlson memorial Volume)
A methodology is devised to utilize the statistical mechanical entropy of an isolated, constrained atomistic system to define the dissipative driving-force and energetic fields in continuum thermomechanics. A thermodynamic model of dislocation mechanics is discussed. One outcome is a definition for the mesoscale back-stress tensor and the symmetric, polar dislocation density-dependent, Cauchy stress tensor from atomistic ingredients.
