Latest Publications & Patents on Thermodynamics

Viscoelasticity is the property of materials that exhibit both viscous and elastic characteristics when undergoing deformation. Viscous materials, like honey, resist shear flow and strain linearly with time when a stress is applied. Elastic materials, like a rubber band, strain when stretched and quickly return to their original state once the stress is removed. Viscoelastic materials have elements of both.

The first commercially successful rechargeable battery. It uses a lead (Pb) anode, a lead dioxide (PbO₂) cathode, and a sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) electrolyte. During discharge, both electrodes are converted into lead sulfate (PbSO₄), and the sulfuric acid is consumed. This process is chemically reversible by applying an external current, making it a practical and robust energy storage system.

The Boltzmann distribution describes the probability that a system in thermal equilibrium at temperature T will be in a specific microstate with energy E. This probability is proportional to the Boltzmann factor, \(e^{-E / k_B T}\). It implies that states with lower energy are exponentially more likely to be occupied than states with higher energy, with temperature modulating this preference.

This foundational formula connects the macroscopic thermodynamic quantity of entropy (S) with the number of possible microscopic arrangements, or microstates (W), corresponding to the system's macroscopic state. The equation, \(S = k_B \ln W\), reveals that entropy is a measure of statistical disorder or randomness. The constant \(k_B\) is the Boltzmann constant, linking energy at the particle level with temperature.

Shear-thickening, or dilatancy, is a non-Newtonian behavior where viscosity increases with the rate of shear stress. A classic example is a suspension of cornstarch in water (oobleck), which feels liquid when stirred slowly but becomes almost solid when struck or stirred rapidly. This phenomenon is caused by the jamming of suspended particles under high shear.

The Nernst equation relates the reduction potential of a half-cell (or the total voltage of an electrochemical cell) to the standard electrode potential, temperature, and the activities (often approximated by concentrations) of the chemical species undergoing redox. The equation is \(E = E^{\circ} - \frac{RT}{nF} \ln Q\), where Q is the reaction quotient.

Motional EMF is generated when a conductor moves through a magnetic field. The magnetic component of the Lorentz force, \(\mathbf{F} = q(\mathbf{v} \times \mathbf{B})\), acts on the charge carriers within the conductor, causing them to move and create a charge separation. This separation establishes an electric field and a potential difference. The resulting EMF is given by the line integral \(\mathcal{E} = \oint (\mathbf{v} \times \mathbf{B}) \cdot d\mathbf{l}\).

A fundamental principle stating that the total energy of an isolated system remains constant over time. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only transformed from one form to another, such as from potential to kinetic energy. In classical mechanics, for systems with only conservative forces, the total mechanical energy \(E = T + V\) is conserved.

For a Newtonian fluid, viscosity is a function of temperature and pressure but not shear rate. In liquids, viscosity decreases significantly as temperature increases because higher thermal energy allows molecules to overcome cohesive intermolecular forces more easily. Conversely, in gases, viscosity increases with temperature as more frequent molecular collisions at higher speeds lead to greater momentum transfer.

This is the differential form of Faraday's law of induction, one of Maxwell's four equations. It states that a time-varying magnetic field (\(\mathbf{B}\)) always accompanies a spatially varying, non-conservative electric field (\(\mathbf{E}\)). The relationship is expressed as \(\nabla \times \mathbf{E} = -\frac{\partial \mathbf{B}}{\partial t}\). This equation governs how changing magnetic fields create electric fields at a specific point in space.

Electromotive force (EMF) and electric potential difference (voltage) are distinct concepts, though both are measured in volts. EMF is the work per unit charge done by a non-conservative force (e.g., chemical reaction, changing magnetic field) to move charge within a source. Potential difference is the work per unit charge done by the conservative electrostatic field between two points.

The Reynolds number (\(\text{Re}\)) is a dimensionless quantity in fluid mechanics used to predict flow patterns by representing the ratio of inertial forces to viscous forces. Low Reynolds numbers characterize smooth, orderly laminar flow, while high Reynolds numbers indicate chaotic, eddy-filled turbulent flow. It is crucial for determining the dynamic behavior of a fluid and for scaling experiments.

The Mach number (M) is a dimensionless quantity representing the ratio of flow velocity past a boundary to the local speed of sound: \(M = v/a\), where v is the flow velocity and a is the speed of sound. It is the primary indicator of compressibility effects. As Mach number approaches and exceeds 1, the density of the air changes significantly, altering aerodynamic forces.

In electrochemical cells like batteries and fuel cells, EMF is generated by chemical reactions. The separation of charge is driven by oxidation and reduction reactions occurring at two different electrodes. The maximum EMF of a cell is related to the change in Gibbs free energy (\(\Delta G\)) of the reaction by \(\mathcal{E} = -\frac{\Delta G}{nF}\), where \(n\) is moles of electrons and \(F\) is the Faraday constant.

The Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations are time-averaged equations of motion for turbulent fluid flow. This approach, called Reynolds decomposition, separates flow variables into a mean and a fluctuating component. The averaging process introduces an additional term, the Reynolds stress tensor, which represents the effect of turbulence and must be modeled to achieve closure, making simulations computationally tractable.