Transport Processes and the Chemical Potential

Abstract

MELEHY^1,2 has proposed a theory of transport phenomena, based on a claim that the chemical potential for each constituent is not a constant everywhere in a system which is in thermodynamic equilibrium. He argues that the usual proof of its constancy everywhere is invalid, and that, in any case, its consequences are contrary to experiment. For example he states¹ that the net work in transferring a particle between two points, whatever the gravitational or electrostatic potential difference may be, would be zero on the usual theory, that is, the transfer would be at constant energy. Some consequences would be the denial of the existence of such effects as the Peltier effect and the necessity in thermal equilibrium for the conduction bands to line up throughout a crystal containing a non-degenerate p–n junction.