Surface properties theoretical background

This appendix begins with a brief introduction to the physics of metal surfaces. We limit ourselves to those properties of surfaces that play a role in catalysis or in catalyst characterization. The second part includes an introduction to the theory of chemisorption, and is intended to serve as a theoretical background for the chapters on vibrational spectroscopy, photoemission, and the case study on promoter effects. General textbooks on the physics and chemistry of surfaces are listed in [1-8]. 

The purpose of this paper is to use data already aquired on critical surface tension for a correlation with solubility parameters and parachors of polymers. The theoretical background of these parameters is briefly mentioned. The evaluation of the calculated values is then discussed. Because of the complexity of the polymer conformation on the surface, we do not imply that a straight-forward relationship between the surface and the bulk properties is available, even in the case of a liquid-like amorphous polymer. Another purpose of this paper is, therefore, to point out the complicating factors and the difficulties in predicting the surface wettability on the basis of bulk properties. 

The physico-chemical properties such as phase equilibria, density (molar volume), enthalpy (calorimetry), surface tension, vapor pressure, electrical conductivity, viscosity, etc. are the most important parameters of electrolytes needed for technological use. For each property, the theoretical background, experimental techniques, as well as examples of the latest knowledge and the processing of most important salt systems will be given. Most of the examples are among the published works of the author. 

The material is organized into 15 chapters written by recognized experts in their fields. It has been decided to cover in depth new and hot topics as well as those that have not yet been the subject of extensive reviews. In the first three chapters the properties of carbon materials relevant to catalysis are discussed, with a special emphasis given to the description of carbon surface features, in particular to surface functional groups and their characterization methods, and to the theoretical investigation of molecular interactions on carbon surfaces. This provides a fundamental background for an understanding of the material covered in subsequent chapters. 

---