Thermochimica Acta, Vol.340-341, 37-52, 1999
A classification of molecules, phases, and transitions as recognized by thermal analysis
Chemistry has been fragmented into many separate disciplines during its modern development over the last 200 years. This subdivision has let us forget the common basis of classification of molecules, phases, and transitions. First, one finds that there are but three large classes of molecules (small molecules, large and flexible molecules, and large and rigid molecules). By taking into account the two roots of the properties of molecules, structure and motion, the numbers of types of phases is limited to 10, namely the four classical phases: gas, liquid, crystal, and glass; and six mesophases: liquid, plastic, and conformationally disordered crystals (condis crystals), and their three corresponding mesophase glasses. Adding the possible transitions between these phases and considering the phase-sizes (macro, micro, and nanophases) completes a simple, unifying frame for chemistry based on equilibrium and non-equilibrium thermal analysis.