Cover -- Half-Title Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- Preface -- Introduction -- 1. Form and Matter: The Genesis of Materials -- 1.1. Role and evolution of geometric shapes in chemistry -- 1.1.1. Shape and matter: the origins -- 1.1.2. From the Renaissance to modern chemistry -- 1.1.3. Modern era -- 1.2. Contributions of complexity of forms and thermodynamics -- 1.2.1. Development of more complex forms -- 1.2.2. Introduction to generalized thermodynamics -- 1.2.3. Toward a classification of materials -- 1.3. Perspectives -- 2. Thermodynamics of Condensed Matter -- 2.1. Definitions in thermodynamics -- 2.1.1. Concept of a thermodynamic system -- 2.1.2. Review of thermodynamic equilibrium states -- 2.1.3. Energy transformations and efficiency -- 2.1.4. Systems without thermodynamic equilibrium -- 2.2. Examples of hardware systems -- 2.2.1. Responses close to equilibrium -- 2.2.2. Responses far from equilibrium -- 2.2.3. Role of chemical reactors -- 2.3. Material development and characterization -- 2.3.1. Situation close to equilibrium: crystallogenesis -- 2.3.2. Situation far from equilibrium: morphogenesis -- 2.3.3. Production processes -- 2.4. Conclusion -- 3. Classification of Materials -- 3.1. Role of surfaces and interfaces -- 3.1.1. Nature and symmetry of a phase separation -- 3.1.2. Classification according to the requirements -- 3.1.3. Composition of a system -- 3.1.4. Type of responses and functionality -- 3.2. Main types of materials and systems -- 3.2.1. Structural materials -- 3.2.2. Electronic operators and transmitters -- 3.2.3. Optical devices -- 3.2.4. Adsorbers and chemical sensors -- 3.2.5. Actuators and their analogues -- 3.3. Conclusion -- 4. Materials and Devices for Energy and Information -- 4.1. Conversion and storage of electrical energy -- 4.1.1. Direct conversion electric generators.

4.1.2. Indirect production and use of electricity -- 4.1.3. Storage of energy -- 4.2. Recording and storing information -- 4.2.1. Main features -- 4.2.2. Main types of memories -- 4.3. Conclusion -- 5. Microscopic Models and Statistical Thermodynamics -- 5.1. Typical microscopic models -- 5.1.1. Law of distribution and definition of statistical entropy -- 5.1.2. Thermodynamic systems and canonical ensembles -- 5.1.3. Situations beyond equilibrium -- 5.1.4. Stochastic thermodynamics -- 5.2. Quantum statistics -- 5.2.1. Review of concepts -- 5.2.2. Quantum distribution laws -- 5.2.3. Elementary excitations and quantum particles in solids -- 5.3. Information theory -- 5.3.1. Shannon-Brillouin model -- 5.3.2. Energy and information: the Landauer principle -- 5.3.3. The role of quantum mechanics -- 5.3.4. Remarks on the notion of information and the concept of entropy -- 5.4. Conclusion -- 6. Nanomaterials -- 6.1. The new classes of materials -- 6.1.1. Conjugate conductive polymers -- 6.1.2. Charge transfer salts and complexes -- 6.1.3. Molecular carbonaceous phases -- 6.1.4. Other nanomaterials -- 6.2. Nanometric assemblies and manipulations -- 6.2.1. Thin film techniques and imposed structures -- 6.2.2. Supramolecular chemistry and the colloidal approach -- 6.2.3. Nanowires and nanocomposites -- 6.2.4. Detection and manipulation of particles -- 6.2.5. Molecular recognition, nanosensors and actuators -- 6.3. Conclusion -- 7. Engineering and Molecular Electronics -- 7.1. Nanotechnologies -- 7.1.1. Nanoelectronics -- 7.1.2. Nanophotonics -- 7.1.3. Nanomagnetism -- 7.1.4. Nanomachines -- 7.2. Memory and quantum logic -- 7.2.1. Quantum phenomena -- 7.2.2. Experimental devices -- 7.2.3. Information, thermodynamics and quantum chaos -- 7.3. State of the art: nanomaterials and quantum electronics -- 8. Living World, Biomaterials and Biosystems.

8.1. Living systems and energy balances -- 8.1.1. On the definition of the living world -- 8.1.2. Thermodynamic model -- 8.1.3. Conversion and storage of energy -- 8.1.4. Operation of a cell reactor -- 8.2. Biomaterials and biosystems -- 8.2.1. Morphogenesis and biomimicry -- 8.2.2. Biodetectors and similar functions -- 8.2.3. Bioconverters and natural energy sources -- 8.2.4. Engines, receptors and bionic robots -- 8.2.5. Bioinformatics -- 8.2.6. Biosynthesis -- 8.3. Conclusion -- 9. Extensions to Living Organisms and Ecology -- 9.1. Behavior of cells and organs -- 9.1.1. Biochemical oscillations and biological rhythms -- 9.1.2. Spatiotemporal organizations and Turing structures -- 9.1.3. Rhythms and chaos in certain organs -- 9.1.4. Neural networks, information and cognitive behavior -- 9.2. Physiology of a living organism -- 9.2.1. Thermodynamic system and metabolism -- 9.2.2. Collective behavior -- 9.3. Ecosystems and natural cycles -- 9.3.1. The predator-prey relationship -- 9.3.2. Grand natural cycles -- 9.3.3. Climate models -- 9.4. Conclusion -- 10. Application of Thermodynamics to Economy -- 10.1. Thermodynamic models of economy -- 10.1.1. Chronology of energy models -- 10.1.2. Analysis of fundamental concepts -- 10.2. Dynamics of economic and financial systems -- 10.2.1. Economic cycles -- 10.2.2. Analysis of financial fluctuations -- 10.2.3. Stock market crashes -- 10.2.4. Statistical modeling of financial systems -- 10.2.5. On the behavior of a financial system -- 10.3. Conclusion -- 11. From Thermodynamic Systems to Complex Systems -- 11.1. Thermodynamic models: from energy to entropy -- 11.1.1. Modeling of a thermodynamic system -- 11.1.2. Entropy and information -- 11.2. Classification of materials and devices -- 11.2.1. Functional advanced materials -- 11.2.2. Nanomaterials and quantum mechanics.

11.2.3. Biomaterials inspired by living environments -- 11.2.4. Extension to living organisms, ecological and economic systems -- 11.3. Rhythms, complexity and synergy of dynamic systems -- 11.3.1. From the analysis of shape to functionality -- 11.3.2. Scale analysis and organizational hierarchy -- 11.3.3. Constraints and flows: characteristic oscillations and cycles -- 11.3.4. Dynamic and cybernetic systems -- 11.3.5. Toward a definition of complex systems -- 11.4. Epilogue: descriptive uniqueness and limitation of thermodynamic bases -- Glossary -- Bibliography -- Index -- Other titles from iSTE in Materials Science -- EULA.