Content
ThermoDex contains annotated bibliographic records that describe compilations of
thermodynamic and physical property data for chemical compounds and other substances.
Most are printed books; a few are freely available Web-based databases. ThermoDex is
a "finding aid" designed to save you time in searching through numerous handbooks you
might have in your library or lab. It enables you to enter both a type of compound and
a property, and it returns a list of handbooks that might contain these data. The actual
data are not reproduced in ThermoDex. All such data are copyrighted by the original publishers.
Most of the books indexed are in the reference collection in the
Mallet Chemistry Library at the University of Texas.
Both well-known and obscure sources are included, and they represent
a wide selection of property and compound-type information. There
is certainly overlap among sources; some thermodynamic data are relatively
common and easy to find, while other properties are much more difficult.
In any case, ThermoDex should not be your last resort in your quest for
hard-to-find data. A more general overview of locating thermodynamic
information, with links to a variety of free and licensed databases, can
be found in the library's guide to
FindingThermodynamic Information.
At present ThermoDex does not index:
- Standard one-volume handbooks
- Well-known standards such as the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Perry's
Chemical Engineers Handbook, and the International Critical Tables are
not indexed because they are widely held in libraries, available online by subscription,
and easy to check separately. They should be your first stop if the data you seek are not
obscure.
- Proprietary (fee-based or licensed) online or locally mounted databases
- ThermoDex focuses on printed books and freely available web resources.
Databases that require a paid subscription or charge search fees, such as DIPPR, TRC,
Beilstein, Gmelin, STN, etc., should be searched separately where possible.
Thermodynamic Terminology Indexing terms selected for ThermoDex
are based on terms used in the individual resources. This terminology is not always consistent
across resources and over time. In some cases ThermoDex imposes consistency. For example, the
commonly used term "enthalpy of xxx" has always been translated to "heat of xxx". Sometimes synonyms
are used concurrently, such as pK for Dissociation Constant. We welcome input from users who point
out errors in this area, and we will correct them where possible.
Searching
The search page has two sections for your query. The first offers choices of Properties, and the
second contains names and classes of Compounds. The check-boxes represent the most commonly sought
data points, and you can check one or more of these. In addition, you can select one or multiple
entries from the scroll-box. To select more than one item from the list, hold down the the Ctrl key
(or the Apple key on a Macintosh) when clicking the mouse button. All terms you select within each
section will be searched with a Boolean OR. You do not have to select terms from both sections
if one is all you need.
IMPORTANT TIP: When selecting terms, particularly in the Compounds section, it's a good idea not to
be too narrow. For instance, if you're looking for data on alcohols or common hydrocarbons, you
should select those terms, and you should also select the more general term "Organic" from the list.
Some sources indexed as containing data on a variety of organics will by definition also contain data
for alcohols and hydrocarbons. Only those sources that focus primarily on alcohols or hydrocarbons,
or have specific sections dedicated to such compounds, receive the narrower terms. Another example:
if you're looking for data on argon, select both "argon" and the broader term "noble gases".
To see an alphabetical list of all handbooks included in ThermoDex, there is a link on the main search page.
Bibliographic Information
The records for individual handbooks in ThermoDex contain the following
data:
| Title |
Sometimes the name of the compiler or author is appended to the title,
if the book is commonly known by that person's name. |
| Publisher |
The publisher or origin of the work. |
| Abstract |
A brief summary of the source's content, arrangement and indexing, with
an occasional comment about the quality, authority, or usefulness of the
item. Series designations are also found here. |
| Properties
| List of the property terms assigned to this resource. |
| Compounds
| List of the compounds/compound types covered in this resource. |
| Call Number |
The library call number used at the University of Texas.
Libraries employing the Library of Congress classification system
will often use the same or similar call number. In the case of
Web-based resources, the URL is given in this field. |
| Location |
Specific library location within the University of Texas at Austin
Libraries. Most often this is "CHEM REF", meaning the
book is located in the Reference Collection in the Mallet Chemistry
Library. Other UT libraries (ENGIN, PMA, GEOL, etc.) are also
represented. For the most current location information, search the
title in UT's library catalog.
"Web" in this field indicates a resource that is freely available on
the Web. |
| Year(s) of publication |
|
| ISBN |
ISBNs are included for most books published since 1971. In the
case of multivolume sets, the ISBN may be for the whole set, or for
just the first volume. |
| OCLC Number |
Accession number in the OCLC (WorldCat) online union catalog
system, used by libraries around the world to catalog books and
journals and share resources via Interlibrary Loan. Ask your
librarian for further details on using OCLC numbers. |
| Find in a Library |
This link executes a search in
Open WorldCat, a public
version of the OCLC WorldCat database of library holdings. This
service shows you a list of libraries holding the book in question,
and you can focus the results by locality and region by entering your
zip code. |
ThermoDex is an ongoing project of the University of Texas Libraries.
Content is managed by the Mallet Chemistry Library. Web design and
technical development are by the Digital Library Services Division.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of this
information, we welcome comments, suggestions, and error reports from
users. Please send all comments to "Ask a Librarian".
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