Time Reversibility in Materials
Physicists from Darmstadt have made a groundbreaking discovery regarding the movement of molecules in materials such as glass or plastic. Their findings, published in the journal Nature Physics, challenge traditional notions of the irreversibility of time and enhance our understanding of the aging process in materials.
According to the second law of thermodynamics, the disorder in a system always increases, implying the irreversibility of time. However, researchers from the Technical University of Darmstadt, led by Till Beomer and Professor Thomas Blokhovitsa, have discovered that the movement of molecules in glass and plastic can occur in the opposite direction.
This discovery is based on the concept of the “time of material” proposed approximately 50 years ago. The core idea of this concept suggests that each material possesses its own internal clock that runs differently from conventional timekeeping devices. This internal clock measures the rate at which molecules within the material change their positions.
The experiments conducted by the researchers involved the use of sensitive video cameras to capture even the smallest movements of molecules. Glass samples were illuminated with a laser, and the resulting light was analyzed. The results of the experiments revealed that certain molecule movements within the material are reversible in time.
It is important to note that this study does not imply the ability to reverse the aging process of materials. Rather, it confirms the effectiveness of the concept of the “time of material” in capturing the irreversible aspect of the aging process.
The researchers also discovered that not all molecule movements in the material contribute to its aging. Only the movements related to the material’s internal clock are significant. This can be likened to children playing in the rear seat of a car, whose actions have no impact on its movement.
The scientists are confident that their findings are applicable to all random materials, not limited to glass or plastic. The hypothesis was validated through computer modeling in two classes of materials, yielding consistent results in all cases.
This discovery opens up new avenues for further research. Professor Blokhovitz highlights that the scientists now face a “mountain of unresolved questions,” including the connection between the reversibility of the material’s internal clock and the reversibility of the laws of physics, as well as variations in