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Fractal Material Science: A New Direction in Materials Science

This document discusses fractal material science, a new approach in materials science that takes into account the self-organization of dissipative structures with fractal properties under load. Traditional materials science focuses on equilibrium conditions, while fractal material science uses self-organizing technologies under non-equilibrium conditions. It analyzes how dissipative structures form at bifurcation points and minimize entropy production. Fractal material science quantifies microstructures using the fractal dimension rather than the traditional Euclidean dimension, allowing better description of complex structures like grain boundaries.

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31 views

Fractal Material Science: A New Direction in Materials Science

This document discusses fractal material science, a new approach in materials science that takes into account the self-organization of dissipative structures with fractal properties under load. Traditional materials science focuses on equilibrium conditions, while fractal material science uses self-organizing technologies under non-equilibrium conditions. It analyzes how dissipative structures form at bifurcation points and minimize entropy production. Fractal material science quantifies microstructures using the fractal dimension rather than the traditional Euclidean dimension, allowing better description of complex structures like grain boundaries.

Uploaded by

Asma Nazir
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Emerging Technologies

Overview

Fractal Material Science: A New


Direction in Materials Science
V.S. Ivanova, I.J. Bunin, and V.I. Nosenko

To optimize the structure and properties


of alloys, it is necessary to take into account
the effect of the self-organization of a dissipative structure with fractal properties at load.
This requires the development of self-organizing technologies for material production.
Fractal material science takes into account
the relation between the parameters of fractal
structures and the dissipative properties of
alloys. It also takes into account the base
properties of highly nonequilibrium systems
and the self-organizing process of the fractal
structure in bifurcation points.
INTRODUCTION
Technological advances in the production of materials with optimal service-condition properties demand new
methodologies; the basis of this proposed
methodology is synergetics, a theory of
self-organizing dissipative structures.
According to synergetics, material with
required properties can be produced only
in nonequilibrium conditions by realizing the effect of a dissipative structure
self-organization. Technologies that
make use of this effect are called selforganizing technologies. Dissipative
structures consist of highly ordered selforganizing formations in systems that
are far from thermodynamic equilibrium
and have specific forms and typical spatial-time dimensions. The most important characteristics of these structures
are their life span (they exist only if
energy is continuously supplied), region
of localization, and fractal dimension.
This fractal dimension makes it necessary to combine synergetics with fractal
theory.
SYNERGETICS
Synergetics considers self-organizing
processes and decay properties as inherent to any open system of an organic or
inorganic nature. Biological, chemical,

physical, and other nonequilibrium processes tend to undergo nonequilibrium


phase transitions corresponding to bifurcation. Such a fracture is attributed to
stepwise changes of a dissipative-structure fractal dimension.
The driving force of self-organization
is the tendency of open systems to minimize entropy production. This follows
from the Glansdorf-Prigogin and Klimontowich theorem. For the open systems that exchange energy and matter
with the environment, a change of entropy consists of two parts
dS = d iS deS

(1)

where deS takes into account the transfer


energy through the boundaries of the
system, and diS takes into account entropy changing inside. Entropy production is
diS/dt = p
At the bifurcation points, open systems have certain properties. First, the
self-organization of dissipative structures with the fractal properties takes
place. The subordination principle is also
in operation (according to this principle,
a set of variables is governed by one or
two variables acting as the order parameters). Third, nonequilibrium phase transitions (stability-instability stability)
are accompanied by a spontaneous variation of the medium and the dissipative
structure type; controlling the parameters of the functional relationships between the bifurcation points are found.
Fourth, the universality and scale invariance of the relationship of the critical
parameters controlling the establishment
of instability by the system are ensured.
Finally, the hierarchic sequence of the
change of the mechanisms of energy dissipation in the process of transition from
one bifurcation point to another is re-

Table I. A Comparison of Traditional and Fractal Material Science Approaches


Parameter
Traditional
Fractal
Technology
Near equilibrium or
Self-organizing
nonequilibrium
(high nonequilibrium)
Physicochemical
Analysis
Maximum entropy (F Fmin.)
Minimum entropy (P Pmin.)
Properties
Optimization
Chemical content-initial
Chemical content-initial structurestructure-mechanical
dynamic (fractal) structureproperties
dissipative properties

52

tained.
The relation between structural and
mechanical properties is controlled not
only by initial structure (static structure)
but also dynamic (dissipative) structure
in bifurcation points as well. These structures have fractal properties.
FRACTALS
Although the mathematical theory of
fractals was developed in the 1920s in
physics, these concepts have been put to
use only recently. Initial studies were
carried out by B. Mandelbrot, who developed the concept of fractals as a selfsimilar set. The theory of fractals is regarded as a basis for quantitative description by means of the fractal dimension of various structures. B. Mandelbrot
referred to fractals as structures consisting of parts that, in some sense, are similar to integers; fractals are of a fine
(noninteger) dimension (D) that is always smaller than the topological dimension.
In conventional materials science, microstructure elements are described using the Euclidean dimension (d). For
point defects (e.g., vacancies and interstitial atoms), d = 0; for linear defects
(dislocations), d = 1; for planar defects
(twins), d = 2; and for three-dimensional
formations, d = 3. However, the Euclidean dimension cannot be used to describe structural elements differing from
standard ones (e.g., points or straight
lines). Thus, it is well known that grain
boundaries, being the most important
elements of the microstructure, are curvilinear, and this form can be described
by the fractal dimension (D) corresponding to 1 D 2. Surface defects may also
be described using the fine dimension,
corresponding to the range 2 D 3.
Thus, fractal theory introduces a new
quantitative parameter-fractal dimension for describing structures, which,
because of its universal nature, is suitable for describing structures in systems
types. With a system such as a deformed
solid, the fractal concept makes it possible to describe quantitatively the elements of the initial microstructure (e.g.,
phases, grain, boundaries, etc.) and the
structures formed during deformation.
A.S. Balakin formulated the principle
of the fractal analysis of material microJOM January 1998

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