Peter Keefe

Keefe and Associates, 24405 Gratiot Avenue, Eastpointe, MI 48021 USA.
URL: http://www.Keefengine.com

Received: 30 September 2003 / Accepted: 10 December 2003 / Published: 17 March 2004

Abstract: The nature of the thermodynamic behavior of Type I superconductor particles, having a cross section less than the Ginzburg-Landau temperature dependent coherence length is discussed for magnetic field induced adiabatic phase transitions from the superconductive state to the normal state. Argument is advanced supporting the view that when the adiabatic magneto-caloric process is applied to particles, the phase transition is characterized by a decrease in entropy in violation of traditional formulations of the Second Law, evidenced by attainment of a final process temperature below that which would result from an adiabatic magneto-caloric process applied to bulk dimensioned specimens.

Keywords: superconductor; second law; magneto-caloric effect; coherent magneto-caloric effect; adiabatic magneto-caloric effect; adiabatic phase transition.