Maxwell-type constructions for multiple nonequilibrium steady states.
A stochastic analysis is used to obtain Maxwell-type constructions for multiple nonequilibrium steady states in homogeneous systems. The stochastic theory shows that homogeneous molecular fluctuations can nucleate the Maxwell construction only on a time scale that is the order of a Poincaré recurrence time and indicates that hysteresis should be observed. The nonrelevance of homogeneous fluctuations for systems that undergo phase separation or in which spatial structures occur is discussed.
Keizer
J
J
Chemistry Department, University of California, Davis, California 95616.