Sixty Years with Theories for Interfacial Tension - Quo Vadisl

Sixty Years with Theories for Interfacial Tension - Quo Vadisl 

For almost 60 years researchers have been actively developing theories for estimating the interfacial tension, for all types of interfaces, with the emphasis on solid-liquid and solid-solid interfaces of importance to wetting and adhesion phenomena. These theories have been presented in Chapter 3 for liquid-liquid interfaces and applied - in combination to Young s contact angle equation - to solid interfaces in Chapter 6. Some advantages and shortcomings have already been discussed in these chapters. But the topic of theories for interfacial tension has been an active research field full of colourful debates for more than 60 years and there are still many questions. Essentially both the oldest and the newest theories are still used today in practical applications and there are researchers that doubt the validity of all or most theories. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a historical and comparative presentation of the theories, with reference to the discussion in Chapters 3, 4 and 6 when necessary. It is the hope that this 

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