Donnan equilibrium [`dō·nǝn ē·kwǝ`lib·rē·ǝm] PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY The particular equilibrium set up when two coexisting phases are subject to the restriction that one or more of the ionic components cannot pass from one phase into the other; commonly, this restriction is caused by a membrane which is permeable to the solvent and small ions but impermeable to colloidal ions or charged particles of colloidal size. Also known as Gibbs-Donnan equilibrium. |