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Non-equilibrium Processes and Structure Formation

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Dear Colleagues,

Nature's inherent ability to form structure is intimately linked with irreversible processes that transport energy, mass, and momentum. These systems are thermodynamically open and are out of equilibrium. Thus, they can interact and exchange matter and energy with their surroundings.

Out-of-equilibrium systems constantly consume energy and dissipate and stabilize themselves in meta-stable states of dynamic equilibrium. These non-equilibrium states give rise to complex structures that adapt and self-organize, responding to external perturbations embodied as thermodynamic forces, flows, and currents.

Examples of such systems are ubiquitous. They can range from phase transitions in magnetic systems, critical phenomena in dynamical systems, and fluid-phase instabilities in thermo-fluid systems, giving rise to a myriad of spatiotemporal patterns to self-assembly in molecular systems. Additionally, oscillatory reactions in chemical systems and collective behavior in biological, active matter, and social systems are other instances where self-organization and pattern formation are evident.

This Special Issue allows academics and researchers to share their insights and advancements in this fascinating cross-section of physics, chemistry, biology, and material science. Your contribution will be part of a scholarly dialogue to further our understanding of non-equilibrium thermodynamics and the mechanisms behind structure formation in nature.

Dr. Takahiko Ban
Dr. Atanu Chatterjee
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

entropy production
active matter
self-organization
pattern formation
phase separation
information entropy

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 324 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Thermo-Economic Measure of Sustainability

by Umberto Lucia and Giulia Grisolia

Processes 2024, 12(4), 713; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12040713 - 31 Mar 2024

Viewed by 490

Abstract

Recently, an improvement of the United Nations Human Development Index (

H D I

), named the Thermodynamic Human Development Index (

T H D I

), has been introduced to link socio-economics to environmental and technical pillars of sustainable development. In this [...] Read more.

Recently, an improvement of the United Nations Human Development Index (

H D I

), named the Thermodynamic Human Development Index (

T H D I

), has been introduced to link socio-economics to environmental and technical pillars of sustainable development. In this paper, the

T H D I

is linked to the Kaya identity to bring out the quantities useful in energy economics and to obtain a clearer tool for the evaluation of sustainability. Moreover, the

T H D I

has been normalized for use as an index for the analysis of sustainability. The component related to environmental emissions, which is included in the

T H D I

, can be linked to the Kaya identity. This linkage allows us to use the

T H D I

for the analysis of scenarios, which is useful for evaluating the possible impacts of any future actions on the development of countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-equilibrium Processes and Structure Formation)

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10 pages, 5165 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Marangoni Convection Velocity in Nonlinear Hanging-Droplet Vibration Phenomena

by Koutaro Onoda and Ben Nanzai

Processes 2024, 12(3), 609; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12030609 - 19 Mar 2024

Viewed by 542

Abstract

The Marangoni effect involves a mass transfer along an interface between two phases owing to the gradient of the interfacial tension. The flow caused by this phenomenon is called Marangoni convection, a complex phenomenon that involves mass transfer processes, such as surfactant adsorption/desorption processes, solvent dissolution phenomena, and viscous dissipation processes. Therefore, the strength of the convection depends on the various thermodynamic and physical properties of the fluids. In this study, we experimentally investigated the relationship between the Marangoni convection generated inside a hanging oil droplet and the interfacial tension of the oil droplet in an aqueous phase by the particle image velocimetry method. This convection velocity depended on the initial value of the interfacial tension in the oil–water interfacial tension oscillation phenomenon accompanied by the expansion and contraction of the hanging drop. Additionally, the droplet oscillation frequency decreased as the Marangoni convection velocity increased. Furthermore, continuous convection, which is unlike Marangoni convection, was observed within this spontaneously expanding and contracting hanging-droplet system. This buoyant convection was caused by the mutual dissolution of the hanging-droplet oil phase and the surrounding aqueous phase. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-equilibrium Processes and Structure Formation)

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14 pages, 4070 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Reversible Transformation of a Vesicular Aggregate in Response to a pH Oscillation

by Moeka Shimada, Risa Someya, Yasunao Okamoto, Daigo Yamamoto and Akihisa Shioi

Processes 2024, 12(3), 514; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12030514 - 2 Mar 2024

Viewed by 630

Abstract

The transformation of amphiphilic molecular assemblies in response to chemical oscillations is fundamental in biological systems. The reversible transformation of a vesicular aggregate (VA) in response to a pH oscillation is presented in this study. A VA composed of the cationic surfactant didodecyldimethylammonium bromide is transformed using a pH oscillation ranging between 3 and 7. When the VA attains a stable structure at extreme pH values, the transformation reaches the irreversible stage. However, the addition of a phosphate buffer to the VA suspension changes the pH oscillation pattern from being rectangular to triangular and decreases the oscillation amplitude, successfully achieving the reversible transformation of the VA. Maintaining the non-equilibrium (transient) structures throughout the transformation and not falling into the equilibrium state with a varying pH are essential for the reversible transformation. This may be common and essential for dynamics in biological cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-equilibrium Processes and Structure Formation)

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