Thermodynamic Measurement Techniques

Book excerpt: This book offers various techniques for measurement of thermodynamic quantities of materials such as enthalpy, free energy, and entropy. Techniques described herein include calorimetry, chemical equilibria, vapour pressure, and electrochemical analysis. The book covers general and solution thermodynamics in Chapters 1 and 2, respectively, and highlights the significance of various thermodynamic quantities required for materials characterization and development in Chapter 3. The author goes on to discuss different thermodynamic measurement techniques in detail (Chapters 4-8) together with a set of more than fifty worked-out problems related to classical as well as solution thermodynamics and measurement techniques. (Chapter 9). Topics include but are not limited to the following: The significance of various thermodynamic data required for selection and characterization of materials. The physicochemical principles involved in various thermodynamic measurement and on the evaluation of thermodynamic data by phase diagram analyses. The unique combination of calorimetry and chemical equilibrium for simultaneous determination of partial molar enthalpy and partial molar free energy of hydrogen in metals and alloys. The special technique based on the combination of vapor pressure and electrical conductivity to study the effect of tellurium vapor pressure on the mode of conduction in polycrystalline cadmium telluride.