Thermodynamics of the formation of composite material structures. A review

Composite material structures at nano-, micro-, and mesolevels have been examined. The application of the Gibbs and Hill thermodynamics has allowed researchers to make a physical interpretation of the Laplace pressure for composite materials; to derive the thermodynamic functions describing the particles consolidation; establish the new phenomenon, namely, metal melt imbibition (MMI), and define its moving forces, substantiate a criterion that makes it possible to determine the direction of a liquid phase migration in a composite body, as well as to predict the final structure of composite materials. For the description of a composite material structure, which forms under extreme conditions, it has been necessary to use the nonequilibrium thermodynamics. For these conditions the Prigogine concept of local equilibrium is promising.