Wettability at the solid/liquid interface, its dynamics, tunability, the influence of operating parameters, surface and interfacial phenomena play an increasingly significant role in a wide variety of applications, for example, material processing, nanotechnology, oil recovery, oil spills, chemical leaching, water management, and disease transmission. Although a mature field, it is experiencing dramatic developments on several fronts with emerging applications in new fields. This book presents a collection of eight chapters on nanoscale wetting phenomena, oil extraction from reservoir rocks, the role of coatings, particle morphology, surface roughness and viscosity in metal processing, and practical applications of superhydrophobic behaviour in cell culturing, isolation, anti-icing, anti-reflective and anti-corrosion coatings in the transportation and optical devices fields.

Interfacial Phenomena examines the fundamental properties of various liquid interfaces. This book discusses the physics of surfaces; electrostatic and electrokinetic phenomena; and adsorption at liquid interfaces. The properties of monolayers; reactions at liquid surfaces; diffusion through interfaces; and disperse systems and adhesion are also deliberated. Other topics include the vapor pressures over curved surfaces; electrical capacity of the double layer; applications of electrophoresis; and thermodynamics of adsorption and desorption. The experimental methods of spreading films at the oil-water interface; penetration into monolayers; experiments on dynamic systems; and spontaneous emulsification are likewise covered in this text. This book is beneficial to chemical engineers and students concerned with interfacial phenomena.

The main objective of this volume is to demonstrate the importance of the fundamental aspects of interfacial phenomena in various industrial applications. The text provides the reader with the knowledge that is essential for the composition of the complex multi-phase systems used in the above mentioned areas of application. It should enable the physical and formulation chemist as well as the chemical engineer in designing the formulation on the basis of a rational approach. It will also enable the formulation scientist to better understanding the factors responsible for producing a stable product with optimum application conditions. The book should also be very useful for teaching the subject of formulation at academic institutions.

Marangoni (1878), provided a wealth of detailed information on the effects of variations of the potential energy of liquid surfaces and, in particular, flow arising from variations in temperature and surfactant composition. One aspect of this science is seen today to bear on important phenomena associated with the processing of modern materials. The role of the basic effect in technology was probably first demonstrated by chemical engineers in the field of liquid-liquid extraction. Indeed, phenomena attributable to Marangoni flows have been reported in innumerable instances relevant to modern technologies, such as in hot salt corrosion in aeroturbine blades; the drying of solvent-containing paints; the drying of silicon wafers used in electronics; in materials processing, particularly in metallic systems which have been suspected to demonstrate Marangoni flows.