Lecture

Solid Liquid Interfaces: Young's Theorem and Cassie Equation

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In course

MSE-304: Surfaces and interfaces

This lecture introduces the fundamental concepts for describing, characterizing, and engineering surfaces and interfaces. Students will develop both theoretical and practical understanding of how interfacial phenomena influence surface properties and techn ...

Description

This lecture covers the concepts of solid-liquid interfaces, including Young's Theorem and the Cassie Equation. It explains the definitions of interfacial energy, work of cohesion, and work of adhesion. The instructor discusses the implications of these equations on the behavior of droplets on surfaces.

Instructors (2)

Francesco Stellacci

Francesco Stellacci graduated in Materials Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano in 1998 with a thesis on photochromic polymers with Prof. Giuseppe Zerbi and Mariacarla Gallazzi. In 1999 he moved to the Chemistry Department of the University of Arizona for as a post-doc in the group of Joe Perry in close collaboration with the group of Seth Marder. In 2002 he moved to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as an assistant professor. He was then promoted to associate without (2006) and with tenure (2009). In 2010 he moved to the Institute of Materials at EPFL as a full Professor. He holds the Alcan EP Chair. Francesco was one of the recipients of the Technology Review TR35 "35 Innovator under 35" award in 2005, and the Popular Science Magazine "Brilliant 10" award in 2007. He has been a Packard Fellow starting 2005.

Nako Nakatsuka

Mission At the Laboratory of Chemical Nanotechnology (CHEMINA), our mission is to develop translational chemical biosensing technologies that advance human health. Working at the intersection of chemistry, engineering, and neuroscience, we seek to probe the dynamic chemical landscape of biological systems across in vitro systems, in vivo models, and human clinical samples. We develop novel biorecognition elements and innovate biosensing platforms to enable monitoring of small molecules in complex biofluids,

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Chemistry

Physical chemistry: Surface science

Related concepts (32)

Surface science

Surface science is the study of physical and chemical phenomena that occur at the interface of two phases, including solid–liquid interfaces, solid–gas interfaces, solid–vacuum interfaces, and liquid–gas interfaces. It includes the fields of surface chemistry and surface physics. Some related practical applications are classed as surface engineering. The science encompasses concepts such as heterogeneous catalysis, semiconductor device fabrication, fuel cells, self-assembled monolayers, and adhesives.

Adhesion

Adhesion is the tendency of dissimilar particles or surfaces to cling to one another (cohesion refers to the tendency of similar or identical particles/surfaces to cling to one another). The forces that cause adhesion and cohesion can be divided into several types. The intermolecular forces responsible for the function of various kinds of stickers and sticky tape fall into the categories of chemical adhesion, dispersive adhesion, and diffusive adhesion.

Surface tension

Surface tension is the tendency of liquid surfaces at rest to shrink into the minimum surface area possible. Surface tension is what allows objects with a higher density than water such as razor blades and insects (e.g. water striders) to float on a water surface without becoming even partly submerged. At liquid–air interfaces, surface tension results from the greater attraction of liquid molecules to each other (due to cohesion) than to the molecules in the air (due to adhesion). There are two primary mechanisms in play.

Wetting

Wetting is the ability of a liquid to maintain contact with a solid surface, resulting from intermolecular interactions when the two are brought together. This happens in presence of a gaseous phase or another liquid phase not miscible with the first one. The degree of wetting (wettability) is determined by a force balance between adhesive and cohesive forces. Wetting is important in the bonding or adherence of two materials. Wetting and the surface forces that control wetting are also responsible for other related effects, including capillary effects.

Surface energy

In surface science, surface free energy (also interfacial free energy or surface energy) quantifies the disruption of intermolecular bonds that occurs when a surface is created. In solid-state physics, surfaces must be intrinsically less energetically favorable than the bulk of the material (the atoms on the surface have more energy compared with the atoms in the bulk), otherwise there would be a driving force for surfaces to be created, removing the bulk of the material (see sublimation).

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Capillarity and Surface Tension

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Surface Energy: Definitions and Applications

Covers the definitions of surface energy and interfacial energy, as well as the Wulff Plot and key questions about crystallographic planes.

Wettability and Capillary Length

Explores wettability, force balance, wetting behavior, and capillary length in liquids.

Interfacial Chemistry: Introduction & Importance