The Physics of Phase Transitions

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XVII

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2. Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics of Phase Transitions

   • Pierre Papon, Jacques Leblond, Paul H. E. Meijer

   Pages 1-35

3. Dynamics of Phase Transitions

   • Pierre Papon, Jacques Leblond, Paul H. E. Meijer

   Pages 37-78

4. Phase Transitions in Liquids and Solids: Solidification and Melting

   • Pierre Papon, Jacques Leblond, Paul H. E. Meijer

   Pages 79-122

5. Phase Transitions in Fluids

   • Pierre Papon, Jacques Leblond, Paul H. E. Meijer

   Pages 123-162

6. The Glass Transition

   • Pierre Papon, Jacques Leblond, Paul H. E. Meijer

   Pages 163-184

7. Gelation and Transitions in Biopolymers

   • Pierre Papon, Jacques Leblond, Paul H. E. Meijer

   Pages 185-209

8. Transitions and Collective Phenomena in Solids. New Properties

   • Pierre Papon, Jacques Leblond, Paul H. E. Meijer

   Pages 211-245

9. Collective Phenomena in Liquids: Liquid Crystals and Superfluidity

   • Pierre Papon, Jacques Leblond, Paul H. E. Meijer

   Pages 247-298

10. Microstructures, Nanostructures and Phase Transitions

    • Pierre Papon, Jacques Leblond, Paul H. E. Meijer

    Pages 299-325

11. Transitions in Thin Films

    • Pierre Papon, Jacques Leblond, Paul H. E. Meijer

    Pages 327-336

12. Phase Transitions under Extreme Conditions and in Large Natural and Technical Systems

    • Pierre Papon, Jacques Leblond, Paul H. E. Meijer

    Pages 337-378

13. Back Matter

    Pages 379-397

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We learned in school that matter exists in three forms: solid, liquid and gas, as well as other more subtle things such as the fact that "evaporation produces cold. " The science of the states of matter was born in the 19th century. It has now grown enormously in two directions: 1) The transitions have multiplied: first between a solid and a solid, par­ ticularly for metallurgists. Then for magnetism, illustrated in France by Louis Neel, and ferro electricity. In addition, the extraordinary phenomenon of su­ perconductivity in certain metals appeared at the beginning of the 20th cen­ tury. And other superfluids were recognized later: helium 4, helium 3, the matter constituting atomic nuclei and neutron stars . . . There is now a real zoology of transitions, but we know how to classify them based on Landau's superb idea. 2) Our profound view of the mechanisms has evolved: in particular, the very universal properties of fluctuations near a critical point - described by Kadanoff's qualitative analysis and specified by an extraordinary theoretical tool: the renormalization group. Without exaggerating, we can say that our view of condensed matter has undergone two revolutions in the 20th century: first, the introduction of quantum physics in 1930, then the recognition of "self-similar" structures and the resulting scaling laws around 1970. .

• Renormalization group
• biopolymer
• collective phenomena
• crystal
• extreme conditions
• gelation
• materials science
• mechanics
• phase transition
• phase transitions
• polymer
• solidification
• superconductivity
• thermodynamics
• thin films

From the reviews: 

Pierre Papon and his co-authors succeed in covering a much wider range of transitions than I have ever seen in one book before … Overall, we have here a treatment of strikingly wide perspective, and many readers who may not be motivated to work right through the book will find individual chapters interesting and instructive. I defy anyone who is interested in phase transformations not to learn something from this book." Nature

• Laboratoire de Physique Thermique, École Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles de Paris (ESPCI), Paris, France

  Pierre Papon, Jacques Leblond

• Department of Physics, Catholic University of America, USA

  Paul H. E. Meijer

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