By Dr. Alexander J. Pertsin, Professor Alexander I. Kitaigorodsky (auth.)
The heritage of physics furnishes many examples of the way an easy semiem pirical technique, primarily in keeping with intuitive issues, may well turn out to be even more winning than a rigorous theoretical process. A pertinent instance is the tactic of atom-atom potentials, which treats the intermolec ular interactions among polyatomic molecules by way of pairwise inter activities among their constituent atoms. regardless of a number of conceptual brief comings, the strategy offers a reasonably trustworthy useful technique of dealing with, on a microscopic point, a variety of difficulties that come up within the solid-state physics and chemistry of natural compounds. This monograph is an try to generalize the event won long ago two decades in examining the static and dynamic houses of natural molecular solids by way of atom-atom potentials. It embraces approximately all facets of the applying of the strategy, together with an assessment of cohesive energies, equilibrium crystal buildings, phonon spectra, ther modynamic capabilities, and crystal defects. Many similar themes corresponding to the influence of the crystal box on molecular conformation, the selection of crystal constructions from uncooked diffraction facts, and the matter of polymor phic transitions also are mentioned. We think that this ebook could be of use to researchers in solid-state physics, chemistry, crystallography, actual chemistry, and polymer chem istry. It additionally supplies us a chance to recognize our indebtedness to those that despatched us released in addition to unpublished info and sugges tions, together with A.T. Amos, E.L. Bokhenkov, H. Bonadeo, R.K. Boyd, C.P.