Factors Involved in an Interface

The surface dynamic changes, irrespective of starting points, occur in the direction to minimize the interfacial tension between polymer and the contacting medium. The overall change in the surface configuration can be viewed as the product of two major parameters, i.e., (1) polymer chain mobility and (2) driving force  

This is an analogous situation to the diffusive transport of small molecules in a polymer matrix. The flux J can be given by J=Ddcjdx, where D is the diffusion constant (related to the mobility of polymer segments) and dcjdx (concentration gradient) is the driving force  

Diffusional flux = T(polymer chain mobility) x G(concentration gradient) 

Consequently, any factor that changes the polymer chain mobility and any factor that changes interfacial tension cause the change in the rate of surface configuration change. 

The following viewpoints are taken into consideration throughout the discussion of the subject. 

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