On the irreversible thermodynamics of the Volta-effect

The problem of the Volta-effect was theoretically dealt with byC. Eckart (on the basis of Fermi statistics), byC. A. Domenicali (with irreversible thermodynamical methods), and by others, all these investigations, however, referred to a stationary case. The aim of the present paper is to investigate the non-stationary irreversible process giving rise to the Volta-effect. For want of numerical data, our conclusions are of qualitative character.