THE DEFINITIVE STATEMENT OF 'MAXWELL-STEFAN DIFFUSION', OFFPRINT UNRECORDED

Exceptionally scarce offprint of which there are apparently no other copies recorded - neither in Scotland or at the Maxwell Archives in Cambridge. Maxwell's text which appeared in the 9th edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 7, pp. 214-221, is printed alone but with column placement intact, creating a striking visual effect; large quarto, [pp] 8.

Unusually for an encyclopaedia entry (but somehow typical of Maxwell) this article contains significant and previously unpublished scientific work, namely the first full statement of Maxwell's side of what has come to be known as 'Maxwell-Stefan Diffusion'. This powerful technique describes multi-component diffusion, improving on previous theories in which diffusion coefficients were considered independent from specific gas/liquid composition. Experimental results in the early 1900s confirmed the general validity of the Maxwell Stefan equations. Although Maxwell's 1866 paper 'On the Dynamical Theory of Gases' is often cited in relation to Maxwell Stefan Diffusion, the final form of Maxwell's equation for gases is in fact first presented here. Very good condition: minor bumping to corners, first page a little dust-soiled, otherwise clean and bright.