Initiation of condensation of toluene and octane vapours on a Si surface

Abstract

The adsorption of toluene and octane vapours on a homogenous silicon surface was measured under steady, thermal disequilibrium conditions where a vapour at a temperature T^V is exposed to a solid surface at a lower temperature, T^S. Zeta adsorption isotherm theory was used along with Gibbsian thermodynamics to examine the adsorption results analytically and to investigate the wetting conditions for these vapours. Further, from the prediction of the cluster distribution in the adsorbate, the conditions for the initiation of a liquid phase are predicted. Finally, the mechanism that determines the condensation mode of hydrocarbons on a silicon surface is investigated.