Thermodynamic Modelling of Polymers in Solution

Concepts of Mesoscopic Continuum Physics With Application to Biaxial Liquid Crystals

“…In non-relativistic physics all these balances are de®ned on time and position xY t. Beyond the quantities whose balance equations are mentioned above, complex materials need more variables for their unique description. Examples for these additional quantities are internal variables [1] [2], order and damage parameters [3] [4], Cosserat triads [5], directors [6] [7], and alignment and conformation tensors [8] [9]. In principle there are two possibilities to include these additional quantities into the continuum theoretical description: One can introduce additional ®elds and their balance equations de®ned on xY t P R 3 Â R 1 , or the additional quantities are introduced as variables extending R 3 Â R 1 to the so-called mesoscopic space on which now the balances of mass, momentum, etc., are de®ned.…”

Macroscopic Internal Variables and Mesoscopic Theory: A Comparison Considering Liquid Crystals

“…These additional fields can be internal variables [1,2], order or damage parameters [3], Cosserat triads [4][5][6], directors [7,8], alignment and conformation tensors [9,10]. It is also possible to introduce internal variables, without specifying their physical meaning in the beginning (but obviously, the physical meaning of the considered internal variable has to be made clear finally).…”