Thermal conductivity in dynamics of first-order phase transitions

Abstract

Effects of thermal conductivity on the dynamics of first-order phase transitions are studied. Important consequences of a difference of the isothermal and adiabatic spinodal regions are discussed. We demonstrate that in hydrodynamical calculations at non-zero thermal conductivity, κ ≠ 0 , onset of the spinodal instability occurs, when the system trajectory crosses the isothermal spinodal line. Only for κ = 0 it occurs at a cross of the adiabatic spinodal line. Therefore ideal hydrodynamics is not suited for an appropriate description of first order phase transitions.