Abstract
An interface between two coexisting bulk phases costs free energy1. The macroscopic surface tension is nothing but this excess free energy per unit area. Suppose now that three bulk phases coexist. A natural question is then: Are all three interfaces stable against the intension of a macroscopic layer of the third phase ? If every interfacial tension is less than the sum of the other two, the answer is yes. One could express this by saying that none of the bulk phases wet the interface between the other two. (There might be a wetting layer of microscopic thickness. In that case one could reasonably call the interface partially wet.) On the other hand, if the triangular inequality does not hold for the three tensions, one of the interfaces will be completely wet by the third phase. In 1977 Cahn predicted2 that for suitably chosen systems there should be a (interfacial) phase transition between states of partial and complete wetting at a temperature below bulk criticality. This prediction has since been verified experimentally3.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
As an excellent basic reference, see J. S. Rowlinson and B. Widom, The Molecular Theory of Capillarity (Clarendon, Oxford, 1982).
J. W. Cahn, J. Chem. Phys. 66, 3667 (1977)
C. Ebner and W. F. Saam, Phys. Rev. Lett. 38, 1486 (1977).
The transition was first seen by M. R. Moldover and J. W. Cahn, Science 207, 1073 (1980)
since then a number of groups have studied the wetting transition experimentally in various contexts. For references, see the review by D. E. Sullivan and M. M. Telo da Gama, Ref. 6.
L. M. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz: Course of Theoretical Physics, Vols. 5 and 9
E. M. Lifshitz and L. P. Pitaevskii: Statistical Physics, Part 1 (3rd ed.) & 2 (Pergamon, Oxford, 1980).
J. D. van der Waals, Z. Phys. Chem. 13, 657 (1894)
J. D. van der Waals, English translation in J. Stat. Phys. 20, 197 (1979).
Early work is reviewed in R. Pandit, M. Schick and M. Wortis, Phys. Rev. B 26, 5112 (1982)
For an introductory survey, see E. H. Hauge in Fundamental problems in Statistical Mechanics VI, E. G. D. Cohen, ed. (North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1985)
Statics and dynamics are reviewed by P. G. de Gennes, Rev. Mod. Phys. 57, 827 (1985)
The most comprehensive review is that by D. E. Sullivan and M. M. Telo da Gama, in Fluid Interfacial Phenomena, C. A. Croxton, ed. (Wiley, New York, 1986).
R. Pandit and M. Wortis, Phys. Rev. B 25, 3236 (1982).
E. Brézin, B. I. Halperin and S. Leibler, J. Physique 44, 75 (1983).
P. C. Hemmer and J. L. Lebowitz in Phase Transitions and Criticalb Phenomena, Vol. 5B, C. Domb and M. S. Green, eds. (Academic, New York, 1976) pp 107–203.
D. E. Sullivan, Phys. Rev. A 25, 1669 (1982).
R. Lipowsky, Phys. Rev. Lett. 52, 1429 (1984)
S. Dietrich and M. Schick, Phys. Rev. B 31, 4718 (1985) and 33, 4952 (1986)
C. Ebner, W. F. Saarn and A. K. Sen, Phys. Rev. B 31, 6134
D.M. Kroll, R. Lipowsky and R. K. P. Zia, Phys. Rev. B 32, 1862 (1985).
E. Brézin, B. I. Halperin and S. Leibler, Phys. Rev. Lett. 50, 1387 (1983)
R. Lipowsky, D. M. Kroll and R. K. P. Zia, Phys. Rev. B 27, 4499 (1983);
E. H. Hauge and K. Olaussen, Phys. Rev. B 32, 4766 (1985).
K. Binder, D. P. Landau and D. M. Kroll, Phys. Rev. Lett. 56, 2272 (1986).
E. H. Hauge, Phys. Rev. B 33, 3322 (1986).
D. M. Kroll and T. F. Meister, Phys. Rev. 31, 392 (1985)
P. Tarazona, U. Martini Bettolo Marconi and R. Evans, to be published.
D. M. Kroll and G. Gompper, to be published.
G. Forgacs, H. Or land and M. Schick, Phys. Rev. B 33, 95 (1986).
T. Aukrust and E. H. Hauge, Phys. Rev. Lett. 54, 1814 (1985).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1988 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hauge, E.H. (1988). Landau Theory of Wetting Transitions. In: Velarde, M.G. (eds) Physicochemical Hydrodynamics. NATO ASI Series, vol 174. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0707-5_49
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0707-5_49
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-8042-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-0707-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive