Wetting properties and their industrial importance

This dramatic macroscopic difference in wetting behaviour is caused by only a thin molecnlar layer on the snrface of glass and clearly demonstrates the importance of surface properties. The same type of 

Although it is relatively easy to understand why some of the macroscopic properties of liquids, especially their shape, can depend on surface properties, it is not so obvious for solids. However, the strength of a solid is determined by the ease with which micro-cracks propagate, when placed under stress, and this depends on its surface energy, that is the amount of (surface) work required to continue the crack and hence expose new surface. This has the direct effect that materials are stronger in a vacuum, where their surface energy is not reduced by the adsorption of either gases or liquids, typically available under atmospheric conditions. 

Many other industrial examples where colloid and surface chemistry plays a significant role will be discussed later, these include  

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