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Spherulitic Growth And Thermodynamic Equilibrium In Multicomponent Elastic Films Under Solvent-Vapor Annealing, Ding Zhao

Theses and Dissertations--Mathematics

In this dissertation, we will study solvent-vapor induced spherulitic growth in multicomponent thin films modeled as prestressed elastic solids. The interface between the crystalline phase and the amorphous phase will be treated as an evolving thermodynamic system and no diffusion of any component will be considered.

The dissertation is divided into three parts. In Part I we will determine necessary conditions of thermodynamic equilibrium between the two solid phases, the inter- face, and the vapor. In Part II we will derive the thermodynamic driving force for spherulitic growth in multicomponent elastic thin films. In Part III we will investigate the …