A Partial Equilibrium Theory for Drops and Capillary Liquids

Searcy, Alan W. ; Beruto, Dario T. ; Barberis, Fabrizio

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

关键词: Teflon;    Minimization;    36;    Kinetics;    Thermodynamics;   

DOI  :  10.2172/902449
RP-ID  :  LBNL--61861
RP-ID  :  DE-AC02-05CH11231
RP-ID  :  902449

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

The two-century old theory of Young and Laplace retains apowerful influence on surface and interface studies because itquantitatively predicts the height of rise of capillary liquids from thecontact angles of drops. But the classical theory does not acknowledgethat equilibrium requires separate minimization of partial free energiesof one-component liquids bonded to immiscible solids. We generalize atheorem of Gibbs and Curie to obtain a partial equilibrium (PE) theorythat does so and that also predicts the height of capillary rise fromcontact angles of drops. Published observations and our own measurementsof contact angles of water bonded to glass and Teflon surfaces supportthe conclusion of PE theory that contact angles of meniscuses and ofdrops are different dependent variables. PE theory provides thermodynamicand kinetic guidance to nanoscale processes that the classical theoryobscures, as illustrated by examples in our concludingsection.