Thermodynamics of relaxation processes in the glass transition region II

Abstract

The temporary confinement of the phase space of a thermodynamic system in the glass transition region gives rise to a characterization of the relaxation processes in this region by means of two temperatures, viz., the temperature of the internal equilibrium and the temperature of the arrested equilibrium. The consideration of a dynamical law linking the two temperatures leads to the description of the relaxation processes by a system of coupled non-linear differential equations of the first order. Non-exponential, asymmetric and non-monotonous relaxation phenomena become comprehensible by these equations without the introduction of a spectrum of internal degrees of freedom, at least qualitatively. In addition, the structure of the equations gives rise to the conjecture that, in the glass transition region, macroscopically chaotic processes are possible.