Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 2, 2025

Cooling Rate Dependent Ellipsometry Measurements to Determine the Dynamics of Thin Glassy Films
Published on: January 26, 2016
New paradigm for configurational entropy in glass-forming systems
Aleksandra Drozd-Rzoska1, Sylwester J Rzoska1, Szymon Starzonek2
1Institute of High Pressure Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.
Abstract:
We show that on cooling towards glass transition configurational entropy exhibits more significant changes than predicted by classic relation. A universal formula according to Kauzmann temperature [Formula: see text] is given: [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text]. The exponent [Formula: see text] is hypothetically linked to dominated local symmetry. Such a behaviour is coupled to previtreous evolution of heat capacity [Formula: see text] associated with finite temperature singularity. These lead to generalised VFT relation, for which the basic equation is retrieved. For many glass-formers, basic VFT equation may have only an effective meaning. A universal-like reliability of the Stickel operator analysis for detecting dynamic crossover phenomenon is also questioned. Notably, distortions-sensitive and derivative-based analysis focused on previtreous changes of configurational entropy and heat capacity for glycerol, ethanol and liquid crystal is applied.
Related Concept Videos
Entropy
Third Law of Thermodynamics
Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics
The relation between entropy and disorder can be illustrated with the example of the phase change of ice to water. In ice, the molecules are located at specific sites giving a solid state, whereas, in a liquid form, these molecules are much freer to move. The molecular arrangement has therefore become more randomized. Although the change in average...
Entropy and Solvation
Entropy Change in Reversible Processes
The statement can be further generalized to prove that entropy is a state function. Take a cyclic process between any two points on a p-V diagram.
The Second Law of Thermodynamics

