Configurons: Thermodynamic parameters and symmetry changes at glass transition

Abstract

Thermodynamic parameters of configurons - elementary excitations resulting from broken bonds in amorphous materials - are found from viscosity-temperature relationships. Glass-liquid transition phenomena and most popular models are described along with the configuron model of glass transition. The symmetry breaking, which occurs as a change of Hausdorff dimension of bonds, is examined at glass-liquid transition. Thermal history effects in the glass-liquid transition are interpreted in terms of configuron relaxation.