Zero-point entropy of glasses as physical reality

Abstract This paper presents an analysis of the physical nature of the author’s results obtained since 1995 in the field of thermodynamics of the vitreous state (classic approximation). Excess entropy and free energy at 0 K are considered as the measures of non-equilibrium extent of glass with respect to crystal. Experimental data for melts and glasses of various chemical natures are generalized. A general form of the relations between reversible changes in free energy, enthalpy and entropy and their frozen values at the formation of any glass is shown. The problem of functional dissimilarity of the heat capacity of glass and that of crystal has been solved within the framework of the principle of free energy minimization as a result of self-organization of the vibration spectrum according to the frozen structure. The complete stabilization of glass structure at Kauzmann’s temperature or below it is forbidden by topologic reasons and (or) by thermodynamics. The effects of pressure on the thermodynamic properties of glasses are shown. Possible particular applications of the analysis of self-organization in chaotic systems are exemplified by the modeling of the abilities of neural systems.