Yield Strength as a Thermodynamic Consequence of Information Erasure

Original · EN

We observe that the yield strength of a variety of materials, including highly structured and densely packed metals, alloys and semi-crystalline polymers is reasonably approximated by the thermal energy density of the material. This suggests that it is related to the entropic cost of the irreversible work done during plastic deformation rather than the enthalpic cost that depends on the elastic modulus of the material. Here we propose that the entropic cost of material rearrangement in crystalline solids arises from the difference in the uncertainty in building block positions before and after yielding and estimate it using Landauer's principle for information processing. The yield strength thus obtained in given by the thermal energy density of the material multiplied by ln(2) and provides a guidepost in estimating the strength of materials complementary to the "theoretical strength of solids".