Adhesion at the alkane/water and ester/water interfaces

Abstract

The surface tension of 1-decanol and of several methyl esters of n-alkanoic acids, and the interfacial tension of these materials against water, have been determined in the temperature range 20–32°C. The interfacial tensions of n-nonane and n-undecane against water in the range 20–30°C are also reported. A simple model is proposed to account for the variation with chain length of the thermodynamic parameters of adhesion of the liquids with water. The results are consistent with n-alkanes assuming an orientation parallel to the water surface and the esters being essentially normal to the surface.