# Partitioning a macroscopic system into independent subsystems

## TL;DR

This paper presents a method to derive sharp, computable bounds for the interface free energy in macroscopic systems by linking microscopic statistical quantities, aiding in the partitioning into independent subsystems.

## Contribution

It introduces a general approach to estimate interface free energy bounds from microscopic data, advancing the thermodynamic analysis of system partitioning.

## Key findings

- Provides a framework for sharp bounds on interface free energy
- Links microscopic statistical quantities to macroscopic partitioning
- Potential applications in nanothermodynamics

## Abstract

We discuss the problem of partitioning a macroscopic system into a collection of independent subsystems. The partitioning of a system into replica-like subsystems is nowadays a subject of major interest in several field of theoretical and applied physics, and the thermodynamic approach currently favoured by practitioners is based on a phenomenological definition of an interface energy associated with the partition, due to a lack of easily computable expressions for a microscopic (i.e.~particle-based) interface energy. In this article, we outline a general approach to derive sharp and computable bounds for the interface free energy in terms of microscopic statistical quantities. We discuss potential applications in nanothermodynamics and outline possible future directions.