On Inversion of the Linear Laws of Irreversible Thermodynamics

Abstract

A procedure is developed for inverting the linear laws of irreversible thermodynamics in spite of the singular nature of the admittance matrix when barycentric diffusion currents are employed. The procedure is symmetric in that it is unnecessary to identify one species as a reference solvent. Explicit relations are given for the new coefficients (resistance matrix, heats of transport, Soret thermal conductivity) in terms of the old. Constraints on the new coefficients are also obtained.