Response reactions in chemical thermodynamics

Abstract

The fundamental differential equations of chemical thermodynamics within the De Donder (stoichiometric) approach are reformulated in terms of a special class of chemical reactions, which we call response reactions, RERs. The RERs have the remarkable property of being independent of the actual choice of the stoichiometrically independent reactions, by means of which the chemical processes in the system considered are usually described. The concept of RERs is shown to be applicable in both equilibrium and non-equilibrium chemical thermodynamics. This approach enables one to overcome some difficulties and ambiguities of the standard thermodynamic description of complex chemical systems. In particular, the concept of thermodynamic coupling of chemical reactions may be given a new qualitative and quantitative meaning.