Renewal of basic laws and principles for polar continuum theories (IX) - Thermomechanics

The existing fundamental laws of thermodynamics for micropolar continuum field theories are restudied and their incompleteness is pointed out. New first and second fundamental laws for thermostatics and thermodynamics for micropolar continua are postulated. From them all equilibrium equations and the entropy inequality of thermostatics as well as all balance equations and the entropy rate inequalities are naturally and simultaneously deduced. The comparisons between. the new results presented here and the corresponding results demonstrated in existing monographs and textbooks concerning micropolar continuum mechanics are made at any time. It should be emphasized to note that, the problem of why the local balance equation of energy and the local entropy inequality could not be obtained from the existing fundamental laws of thermodynamics for micropolar continua, is believed to be clarified.