Comparative study of the kinetics of two-dimensional condensation of thiourea at mercury/water and mercury/ethanol interfaces

Abstract

The kinetics of condensation of thiourea have been investigated by the potential step technique at the mercury/water and mercury/ethanol interfaces in the presence of 0.5 M LiNO₃. In both solvents, the formation of the condensed film B takes place via a nucleation and growth mechanism. Slower transients are, however, observed in ethanolic solutions. Kinetic parameters such as the growth rate, the nucleation rate and the line tension have been obtained from the analysis of the mononuclear and polynuclear transients.