Abstract
This study concerns the wetting properties of n-alkanes on water under thermodynamic equilibrium conditions, a problem that is interesting for the petroleum industry as well as for the fundamental understanding of wetting phenomena. An experimental study using ellipsometry reveals that pentane on water undergoes a continuous or critical wetting transition at a temperature equal to 53.1 deg. C. This is the first experimental observation of such a transition, confirming theoretical predictions made on this subject over ten years. This transition is characterized by a continuous and reversible evolution of the thickness of the film of pentane with temperature from a thick (but finite film) to a macroscopic film. The critical wetting transition occurs when the Hamaker constant of the system, which gives the net interaction between the two interfaces bounding the wetting layer of pentane in terms of the van der Waals forces, changes sign. A theoretical approach based on the Cahn-Landau theory, which takes into account long range forces (van der Waals forces), enables us to explain the mechanism of the critical wetting transition and to show that a first-order wetting transition should precede it. Because of their similar dispersive properties, linear alkanes could all be able to show
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Citation Formats
Ragil, K.
Critical wetting of n-alkanes on water; Mouillage critique des alcanes sur l`eau.
France: N. p.,
1996.
Web.
Ragil, K.
Critical wetting of n-alkanes on water; Mouillage critique des alcanes sur l`eau.
France.
Ragil, K.
1996.
"Critical wetting of n-alkanes on water; Mouillage critique des alcanes sur l`eau."
France.
@misc{etde_508836,
title = {Critical wetting of n-alkanes on water; Mouillage critique des alcanes sur l`eau}
author = {Ragil, K}
abstractNote = {This study concerns the wetting properties of n-alkanes on water under thermodynamic equilibrium conditions, a problem that is interesting for the petroleum industry as well as for the fundamental understanding of wetting phenomena. An experimental study using ellipsometry reveals that pentane on water undergoes a continuous or critical wetting transition at a temperature equal to 53.1 deg. C. This is the first experimental observation of such a transition, confirming theoretical predictions made on this subject over ten years. This transition is characterized by a continuous and reversible evolution of the thickness of the film of pentane with temperature from a thick (but finite film) to a macroscopic film. The critical wetting transition occurs when the Hamaker constant of the system, which gives the net interaction between the two interfaces bounding the wetting layer of pentane in terms of the van der Waals forces, changes sign. A theoretical approach based on the Cahn-Landau theory, which takes into account long range forces (van der Waals forces), enables us to explain the mechanism of the critical wetting transition and to show that a first-order wetting transition should precede it. Because of their similar dispersive properties, linear alkanes could all be able to show such a succession of transitions. An ellipsometry study performed on a brine/hexane/vapor system confirms that a discontinuous transition from a thin microscopic film to a thick but finite adsorbed film takes place. THis study demonstrates that the wetting of alkanes on water is determined by subtle interplay between short range and long range forces, which can lead to an intermediary state between partial and complete wetting. (author)}
place = {France}
year = {1996}
month = {Oct}
}
title = {Critical wetting of n-alkanes on water; Mouillage critique des alcanes sur l`eau}
author = {Ragil, K}
abstractNote = {This study concerns the wetting properties of n-alkanes on water under thermodynamic equilibrium conditions, a problem that is interesting for the petroleum industry as well as for the fundamental understanding of wetting phenomena. An experimental study using ellipsometry reveals that pentane on water undergoes a continuous or critical wetting transition at a temperature equal to 53.1 deg. C. This is the first experimental observation of such a transition, confirming theoretical predictions made on this subject over ten years. This transition is characterized by a continuous and reversible evolution of the thickness of the film of pentane with temperature from a thick (but finite film) to a macroscopic film. The critical wetting transition occurs when the Hamaker constant of the system, which gives the net interaction between the two interfaces bounding the wetting layer of pentane in terms of the van der Waals forces, changes sign. A theoretical approach based on the Cahn-Landau theory, which takes into account long range forces (van der Waals forces), enables us to explain the mechanism of the critical wetting transition and to show that a first-order wetting transition should precede it. Because of their similar dispersive properties, linear alkanes could all be able to show such a succession of transitions. An ellipsometry study performed on a brine/hexane/vapor system confirms that a discontinuous transition from a thin microscopic film to a thick but finite adsorbed film takes place. THis study demonstrates that the wetting of alkanes on water is determined by subtle interplay between short range and long range forces, which can lead to an intermediary state between partial and complete wetting. (author)}
place = {France}
year = {1996}
month = {Oct}
}