A Symmetric Van ’t Hoff Equation and Equilibrium Temperature Gradients

Thermodynamically isolated systems normally relax to equilibria characterized by single temperatures; however, in recent years several systems have been identified that challenge this presumption, demonstrating stationary temperature gradients at equilibrium. These temperature gradients, most pronounced in systems involving epicatalysis, can be explained via an underappreciated symmetry in the Van ’t Hoff equation.