Thermodynamics of the effects of adsorption on interparticle forces

Abstract

A general thermodynamic analysis is presented of the influence of adsorption on the force between two solid bodies immersed in a fluid (gas or liquid mixture), one or more of whose components is preferentially adsorbed. The resulting equations can be applied to the effect of adsorption on the stability of aerosols of solid particles, and of colloidal dispersions of solids in liquids; and to the swelling and shrinking of porous bodies caused by adsorption.

The method of calculating interparticle forces, and the potential energies of interaction is illustrated by numerical examples for the case of parallel plates immersed in an adsorptive gas, at pressures in the Henry's law region of the adsorption isotherm. A qualitative discussion is given for adsorption in the multilayer region.