Variational irreversible thermodynamics of physical-chemical solids with finite deformation

A new thermodynamics of open thermochemical systems and a variational principle of virtual dissipation are applied to the finite deformation of a solid coupled to thermomolecular diffusion and chemical reactions. A variational derivation is obtained of the field differential equations as well as Lagrangian equations with generalized coordinates. New formulas for the affinity and a new definition of the chemical potential are presented. An outline is given of an unusually large field of applications, such as active transport in biological systems, finite element methods, plastic properties as analogous to chemical reactions, phase changes and recrystalization, porous solids, heredity and initially stressed solids. A new and unified insight is thus provided in highly diversified problems.