Soap film permeability

The permeability of soap films has been examined in detail by Dewar who showed (Proo. R. I. xxil. 193, 1917) that the rate of penetration varied with both the film thickness and the excess pressure in the bubble, A few of the values obtained for hydrogen are cited overleaf. 

The decrease in the size of soap bubbles caused by air diffusion has been observed by some researchers [480]. Manegold et. al. [480] have determined gas permeability of bubble films with a diameter of 5 cm produced from a 2% Nekal solution and filled with hydrogen and carbon dioxide. These experiments can hardly be used to draw any definite conclusions on the effect of adsorption layer on the rate of diffusion transfer. 

Princen HM, Mason SG. 1965. The permeability of soap films to gases. J Colloid Interface Sci 20 353-375. 

See for instance about the permeability of (i) soap bubbles towards ether C.V. Boys, Soap Bubbles, Dover, New-York, 1959 (ii) thin films towards small molecules H.M. Princen, J.T. Overbeek and S.G. Mason, 7.C./.S., 24, 125, 1967 about the solubilization of alcanes by surfactants D.E. Clarke and D.G. Hall, Colloid and Polymer ScL, 252, 153, 1974. 

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