From Fundamental Properties to Applications of Surface Activity Investigations: The Kinetic and Thermodynamic Aspects

摘要

Interfaces, or surfaces in particular (fluid-solid interfaces), are the boundary limitsof two immiscible phases characterized by the surface free energy. Getting insight intotheir fundamental property is of great importance for both scientific and industrial activities.Such an approach enables us to control the formation and stabilization of colloidalsystems, which consist of producing homogenous dispersions from at least two initiallyimmiscible phases. In this mini-review, the kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of fluid surfacesare overviewed. Successively, the main phenomena occurring at the interfaces andthe appropriate methodology of investigations, the role of amphiphilic molecules in modifyingsurface properties and generating various functionalities as a function of their chemicalstructure, size, and shape, and the current approaches for characterizing interactions aswell as synergism or antagonism within mixed systems are treated. Relevant relationshipsof dynamic fundamental properties to macroscopic consequences at the solid and fluid interfacesof single and mixed amphiphile systems are illustrated.